Nucleotide and protein sequences of vertebrate delta genes and methods based thereon

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of vertebrate Delta genes, and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. In a specific embodiment, the vertebrate Delta protein is a human protein. The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of Delta which comprise one or more domains of the Delta protein, including but not limited to the intracellular domain, extracellular domain, DSL domain, domain amino-terminal to the DSL domain, transmembrane region, or one or more EGF-like repeats of a Delta protein, or any combination of the foregoing. Antibodies to Delta, its derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided. Methods of production of the Delta proteins, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means, are also provided. Therapeutic and diagnostic methods and pharmaceutical compositions are provided. In specific examples, isolated Delta genes, from Xenopus, chick, mouse, and human, are provided.

This application is the national stage application under 35 U.S.C. § of International Application No. PCT/US96/11178, filed Jun. 28, 1996, published in English on Jan. 16, 1997 as International Publication No. WO 97/01571, which claims priority benefits of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/000,589, filed Jun. 28, 1995, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

1. INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to vertebrate Delta genes and their encoded protein products, as well as derivatives and analogs thereof. Production of vertebrate Delta proteins, derivatives, and antibodies is also provided. The invention further relates to therapeutic compositions and methods of diagnosis and therapy.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Genetic analyses in Drosophila have been extremely useful in dissecting the complexity of developmental pathways and identifying interacting loci. However, understanding the precise nature of the processes that underlie genetic interactions requires a knowledge of the protein products of the genes in question.

The vertebrate central nervous system is an intimate mixture of different cell types, almost all generated from the same source—the neurogenic epithelium that forms the neural plate and subsequently the neural tube. What are the mechanisms that control neurogenesis in this sheet of cells, directing some to become neurons while others remain non-neuronal? The answer is virtually unknown for vertebrates, but many of the cellular interactions and genes controlling cell fate decisions during neurogenesis have been well characterized in Drosophila (Campos-Ortega, 1993, J. Neurobiol. 24:1305-1327). Although the gross anatomical context of neurogenesis appears very different in insects and vertebrates, the possibility remains that, at a cellular level, similar events are occurring via conserved molecular mechanisms. Embryological, genetic and molecular evidence indicates that the early steps of ectodermal differentiation in Drosophila depend on cell interactions (Doe and Goodman, 1985, Dev. Biol. 111:206-219; Technau and Campos-ortega, 1986, Dev. Biol. 195:445-454; Vassin et al., 1985, J. Neurogenet. 2:291-308; de la Concha et al., 1988, Genetics 118:499-508; Xu et al., 1990, Genes Dev. 4:464-475; Artavanis-Tsakonas, 1988, Trends Genet. 4:95-100). Mutational analyses reveal a small group of zygotically-acting genes, the so called neurogenic loci, which affect the choice of ectodermal cells between epidermal and neural pathways (Poulson, 1937, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 23:133-137; Lehmann et al., 1983, Wilhelm Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 192:62-74; Jurgens et al., 1984, Wilhelm Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 193:283-295; Wieschaus et al., 1984, Wilhelm Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 193:296-307; Nusslein-Volhard et al., 1984, Wilhelm Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 193:267-282). Null mutations in any one of the zygotic neurogenic loci—Notch (N), Delta (D1), mastermind (mam), Enhancer of Split (E(spl), neuralized (neu), and big brain (bib)—result in hypertrophy of the nervous system at the expense of ventral and lateral epidermal structures. This effect is due to the misrouting of epidermal precursor cells into a neuronal pathway, and implies that neurogenic gene function is necessary to divert cells within the neurogenic region from a neuronal fate to an epithelial fate.

Neural precursors arise in the Drosophila embryo from a neurogenic epithelium during successive waves of neurogenesis (Campos-Ortega & Hartenstein, 1985, The embryonic development of Drosophila melanogaster (Springer-Verlag, Berlin; New York); Doe, 1992, Development 116:855-863). The pattern of production of these cells is largely determined by the activity of the proneural and neurogenic genes. Proneural genes predispose clusters of cells to a neural fate (reviewed in Skeath & Carroll, 1994, Faseb J. 8:714-21), but only a subset of cells in a cluster become neural precursors. This restriction is due to the action of the neurogenic genes, which mediate lateral inhibition—a type of inhibitory cell signaling by which a cell committed to a neural fate forces its neighbors either to remain uncommitted or to enter a non-neural pathway (Artavanis-Tsakonas & Simpson, 1991, Trends Genet. 7:403-408; Doe & Goodman, 1985, Dev. Biol. 111:206-219). Mutations leading to a failure of lateral inhibition cause an overproduction of neurons—the “neurogenic” phenotype (Lehmann et al., 1981, Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 190:226-229; Lehmann et al., Roux's Arch. Dev. Biol. 192:62-74). In Drosophila, the inhibitory signal is delivered by a transmembrane protein encoded by the Delta neurogenic gene, which is displayed by the nascent neural cells (Heitzler & Simpson, 1991, Cell 64:1083-1092). Neighboring cells express a transmembrane receptor protein, encoded by the neurogenic gene Notch (Fortini & Artavanis-Tsakonas, 1993, Cell 75:1245-1247). Delta has been identified as a genetic unit capable of interacting with the Notch locus (Xu et al., 1990, Genes Dev. 4:464-475).

Mutational analyses also reveal that the action of the neurogenic genes is pleiotropic and is not limited solely to embryogenesis. For example, ommatidial, bristle and wing formation, which are known also to depend upon cell interactions, are affected by neurogenic mutations (Morgan et al., 1925, Bibliogr. Genet. 2:1-226; Welshons, 1956, Dros. Inf. Serv. 30:157-158; Preiss et al., 1988, EMBO J. 7:3917-3927; Shellenbarger and Mohler, 1978, Dev. Biol. 62:432-446; Technau and Campos-Ortega, 1986, Wilhelm Roux's Dev. Biol. 195:445-454; Tomlison and Ready, 1987, Dev. Biol. 120:366-376; Cagan and Ready, 1989, Genes Dev. 3:1099-1112). Neurogenic genes are also required for normal development of the muscles, gut, excretory and reproductive systems of the fly (Muskavitch, 1994, Dev. Biol. 166:415-430).

Both Notch and Delta are transmembrane proteins that span the membrane a single time (Wharton et al., 1985, Cell 43:567-581; Kidd and Young, 1986, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:3094-3108; Vassin, et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:3431-3440; Kopczynski, et al., 1988, Genes Dev. 2:1723-1735) and include multiple tandem EGF-like repeats in their extracellular domains (Muskavitch, 1994, Dev. Biol. 166:415-430). The Notch gene encodes a ˜300 kd protein (we use “Notch” to denote this protein) with a large N-terminal extracellular domain that includes 36 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like tandem repeats followed by three other cysteine-rich repeats, designated Notch/lin-12 repeats (Wharton, et al., 1985, Cell 43:567-581; Kidd and Young, 1986, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:3094-3108; Yochem, et al., 1988, Nature 335:547-550). Molecular studies have lead to the suggestion that Notch and Delta constitute biochemically interacting elements of a cell communication mechanism involved in early developmental decisions (Fehon et al., 1990, Cell 61:523-534). Homologs are found in Caenorhabditis elegans, where the Notch-related gene lin-12 and the Delta-related gene lag-2 are also responsible for lateral inhibition (Sternberg, 1993, Current Biol. 3:763-765; Henderson et al., 1994, Development 120:2913-2924; Greenwald, 1994, Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 4:556-562). In vertebrates, several Notch homologs have also been identified (Kopan & Weintraub, 1993, J. Cell Biol. 121:631-641; Lardelli et al., 1994, Mech. Dev. 46:123-136; Lardelli & Lendahl, 1993, Exp. Cell Res. 204:364-372; Weinmaster et al., 1991, Development 113:199-205; Weinmaster et al., 1992, Development 116:931-941; Coffman et al., 1990, Science 249:1438-1441; Bierkamp & Campos-Ortega, 1993, Mech. Dev. 43:87-100), and they are expressed in many tissues and at many stages of development. Loss of Notch-1 leads to somite defects and embryonic death in mice (Swiatek et al., 1994, Genes Dev. 8:707-719; Conlon et al., Rossant, J. Development (J. Dev. 121:1533-1545), while constitutively active mutant forms of Notch-1 appear to inhibit cell differentiation in Xenopus and in cultured mammalian cells (Coffman et al., 1993, Cell 73:659-671; Kopan et al., 1994, Development 120:2385-2396; Nye et al., 1994, Development 120:2421-2430).

The EGF-like motif has been found in a variety of proteins, including those involved in the blood clotting cascade (Furie and Furie, 1988, Cell 53: 505-518). In particular, this motif has been found in extracellular proteins such as the blood clotting factors IX and X (Rees et al., 1988, EMBO J. 7:2053-2061; Furie and Furie, 1988, Cell 53: 505-518), in other Drosophila genes (Knust et al., 1987 EMBO J. 761-766; Rothberg et al., 1988, Cell 55:1047-1059), and in some cell-surface receptor proteins, such as thrombomodulin (Suzuki et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:1891-1897) and LDL receptor (Sudhof et al., 1985, Science 228:815-822). A protein binding site has been mapped to the EGF repeat domain in thrombomodulin and urokinase (Kurosawa et al., 1988, J. Biol. Chem 263:5993-5996; Appella et al., 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4437-4440).

Citation of references hereinabove shall not be construed as an admission that such references are prior art to the present invention.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of vertebrate Delta genes (chick and mouse Delta, and related genes of other species), and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives (e.g., fragments) and analogs thereof. Nucleic acids hybridizable to or complementary to the foregoing nucleotide sequences are also provided. In a specific embodiment, the Delta protein is a mammalian protein, preferably a human protein.

The invention relates to vertebrate Delta derivatives and analogs of the invention which are functionally active, i.e., they are capable of displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (wild-type) Delta protein. Such functional activities include but are not limited to antigenicity [ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to an anti-Delta antibody], immunogenicity (ability to generate antibody which binds to Delta), ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to Notch or other toporythmic proteins or fragments thereof (“adhesiveness”), ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to a receptor for Delta. “Toporythmic proteins” as used herein, refers to the protein products of Notch, Delta, Serrate, Enhancer of split, and Deltex, as well as other members of this interacting set of genes which may be identified, e.g., by virtue of the ability of their gene sequences to hybridize, or their homology to Delta, Serrate, or Notch, or the ability of their genes to display phenotypic interactions or the ability of their protein products to interact biochemically.

The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of a vertebrate Delta that comprise one or more domains of the Delta protein, including but not limited to the intracellular domain, extracellular domain, transmembrane domain, DSL domain, domain amino-terminal to the DSL domain, or one or more EGF-like (homologous) repeats of a Delta protein, or any combination of the foregoing.

Antibodies to a vertebrate Delta, its derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided.

Methods of production of the vertebrate Delta proteins, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means, are also provided.

The present invention also relates to therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions based on Delta proteins and nucleic acids. The invention provides for treatment of disorders of cell fate or differentiation by administration of a therapeutic compound of the invention. Such therapeutic compounds (termed herein “Therapeutics”) include: Delta proteins and analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof; antibodies thereto; nucleic acids encoding the Delta proteins, analogs, or derivatives; and Delta antisense nucleic acids. In a preferred embodiment, a Therapeutic of the invention is administered to treat a cancerous condition, or to prevent progression from a pre-neoplastic or non-malignant state into a neoplastic or a malignant state. In other specific embodiments, a Therapeutic of the invention is administered to treat a nervous system disorder or to promote tissue regeneration and repair.

In one embodiment, Therapeutics which antagonize, or inhibit, Notch and/or Delta function (hereinafter “Antagonist Therapeutics”) are administered for therapeutic effect. In another embodiment, Therapeutics which promote Notch and/or Delta function (hereinafter “Agonist Therapeutics”) are administered for therapeutic effect.

Disorders of cell fate, in particular hyperproliferative (e.g., cancer) or hypoproliferative disorders, involving aberrant or undesirable levels of expression or activity or localization of Notch and/or Delta protein can be diagnosed by detecting such levels, as described more fully infra.

In a preferred aspect, a Therapeutic of the invention is a protein consisting of at least a fragment (termed herein “adhesive fragment”) of Delta which mediates binding to a Notch protein or a fragment thereof.

3.1. DEFINITIONS

As used herein, underscoring or italicizing the name of a gene shall indicate the gene, in contrast to its encoded protein product which is indicated by the name of the gene in the absence of any underscoring. For example, “Delta” shall mean the Delta gene, whereas “Delta” shall indicate the protein product of the Delta gene.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A1-1A3-1B1-1B2. FIGS. 1A1-1A3. The DNA sequence of chick Delta (C-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:1). FIGS. 1B1-1B2. The DNA sequence of an alternatively spliced chick Delta (C-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:3).

FIG. 2. The predicted amino acid sequence of chick Delta (C-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:2).

FIGS. 3A-3B. Predicted amino acid sequence of C-Delta-1 (SEQ ID NO:2), aligned with that of X-Delta-1 (Xenopus Delta; SEQ ID NO:5) and Drosophila Delta (SEQ ID NO:6) and, indicating the conserved domain structures: EGF repeats, DSL domain, and transmembrane domain (TM). Conserved amino acids are boxed, and  denote aligned and non-aligned N-terminal cysteine residues, respectively. Although the intracellular domains of C-Delta-1 and X-Delta-1 closely resemble each other, they show no significant homology to the corresponding part of Drosophila Delta.

FIG. 4. Alignment of DSL domains from C-Delta-1 (SEQ ID NO:2), Drosophila Delta (SEQ ID NO:6) (Vässin et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:3431-3440; Kopczynski et al., 1988, Genes Dev. 2:1723-1735), Drosophila Serrate (SEQ ID NO:7) (Fleming et al., 1990, Genes Dev. 4:2188-2201; Thomas et al., 1991, Development 111:749-761), C-Serrate-1 (SEQ ID NO:8) (Myat, Henrique, Ish-Horowicz and Lewis, in preparation), Apx-1 (SEQ ID NO:9) (Mello et al., 1994, Cell 77:95-106) and Lag-2 (SEQ ID NO:10) (Henderson et al., 1994, Development 120:2913-2924; Tax et al., 1994, Nature 368:150-154), showing the conserved Cysteine spacings, the amino acids that are conserved between presumed ligands for Notch-like proteins in Drosophila and vertebrates, and those that are further conserved in C. elegans ligands (boxes).

FIGS. 5A-5E. C-Delta-1 and C-Notch-1 expression correlate with onset of neurogenesis in the one-day (E1) neural plate. Anterior is to the left. Wholemount in situ hybridization specimens are shown in FIGS. 5a-d; 5 e is a section.

FIG. 5a, At stage 7, C-Notch-1 is expressed throughout most of the neural plate and part of the underlying presomitic mesoderm.

FIG. 5b, C-Delta-1 at stage 7 is already detectable in the neural plate, in the future posterior hindbrain, just anterior to the first somite (white box). The posterior end of this neural domain is roughly level with the anterior margin of a domain of very strong expression in the underlying presomitic mesoderm (psm). Earlier expression in the neural plate may occur and be masked by expression in the underlying mesoderm (unpublished results).

FIG. 5c, Higher magnification view of the area boxed in 5 b, showing scattered cells in the neural plate expressing C-Delta-1.

FIG. 5d, At stage 8, C-Delta-1 expression in the neural plate extends posteriorly as the neural plate develops. The domain of labelled neural plate cells visible in this photograph (bracketed) continues posteriorly over the presomitic mesoderm.

FIG. 5e, Parasagittal section of a stage 8 embryo showing that C-Delta-1 is expressed in scattered cells of the neural plate (dorsal layer of tissue; bracketed), and broadly in the presomitic mesoderm (ventral layer). The plane of section is slightly oblique, missing the posterior part of the neural plate domain (cf. 5 d).

FIGS. 6A-6C. C-Delta-1-expressing cells do not incorporate BrdU. Of 612 C-Delta-1⁺ cells, 581 were BrdU⁻ (76 sections; 6 embryos).

FIG. 6a, Diagram showing how phase in the cell cycle is related to apico-basal position of the nucleus for cells in the neuroepithelium; S-phase nuclei lie basally (Fujita, 1963, J. Comp. Neurol. 120:37-42; Biffo et al., 1992, Histochem. Cytochem. 40:535-540). Nuclei are indicated by shading.

FIG. 6b, Section through the neural tube of a stage 9 embryo labelled for 2 h with BrdU showing C-Delta-1 expressing cells (dark on blue background) and BrdU-labelled nuclei (pink). Labelled nuclei are predominantly basal, where DNA synthesis occurs, yet basal C-Delta-1-expressing cells are unlabelled.

FIG. 6c, Section through a stage 9 embryo incubated for 4 h: many labelled nuclei have exited S-phase and have moved towards the lumen, but C-Delta-1-expressing cells are still basal and not labelled with BrdU.

FIGS. 7A-7B. The DNA sequence of mouse Delta (M-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:11).

FIG. 8. The predicted amino acid sequence of the mouse Delta (M-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:12).

FIGS. 9A-9B. An alignment of the predicted amino acid sequence of mouse M-Delta-1 (SEQ ID NO:12) with the chick C-Delta-1 (SEQ ID NO:2) which shows their extensive amino acid sequence identity. Identical amino acids are boxed. The consensus sequence between the two genes is at the bottom (SEQ ID NO:13).

FIGS. 10A-10B. The DNA sequence of a PCR amplified fragment of human Delta (H-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:14) and the predicted amino acid sequences using the three available open reading frames, 2nd line (SEQ ID NO:15-17), 3rd line (SEQ ID NO:18), 4th line (SEQ ID NOS:9-22).

FIG. 11. An alignment of human H-Delta-1 (top line) and chick C-Delta-1 (bottom line). The predicted amino acid sequence of human Delta (SEQ ID NO:23) is shown in the top line. The sequence of human Delta was determined by “eye”, in which the sequence of the appropriate reading frame was determined by maximizing homology with C-Delta-1. No single reading frame shown in FIGS. 10A-10B gave the correct sequence due to errors in the DNA sequence of FIGS. 10A-10B that caused reading frameshifts.

FIGS. 12A1-12A3-12B1-12B6.

FIGS. 12A1-12A3 present the contig DNA sequence of human Delta (H-Delta-1) (SEQ ID NO:26) from clone HDl 18.

FIGS. 12B1-12B6 present the nucleotide sequence shown in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (top line, SEQ ID NO:26) and the deduced amino acid sequences using the three possible open reading frames, second line (SEQ ID NOS:27-42), third line (SEQ ID NOS:43-47), fourth line (SEQ ID NOS:48-64). The amino acid sequence with the greatest homology to the mouse Delta-1 amino acid sequence is boxed. This boxed amino acid sequence is the predicted amino acid sequence of human Delta; where the reading frame shifts indicates where a sequencing error is present in the sequence. No single reading frame shown in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 gave n uninterrupted amino acid sequence due to errors in the DNA sequence that caused shifts in the reading frame. X indicates an undetermined amino acid; N indicates an undetermined nucleotide.

FIGS. 13A-13G. An alignment of mouse M-Delta-1 DNA sequence (top line, SEQ ID NO:4) and human H-Delta-1 DNA sequence (second line, SEQ ID NO:26) and their consensus sequence (third line, SEQ ID NO:24).

FIGS. 14A-14B. The composite human Delta (H-Delta-1) amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NOS:65-80, respectively) is presented, representing the boxed amino sequence from FIGS. 12B1-12B6. “>” indicates that the sequence continues on the line below. “*” indicates a break in the sequence.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of vertebrate Delta genes, and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins. The invention further relates to fragments and other derivatives, and analogs, of vertebrate Delta proteins. Nucleic acids encoding such fragments or derivatives are also within the scope of the invention. The invention provides Delta genes and their encoded proteins of many different vertebrate species. The Delta genes of the invention include chick, mouse, and human Delta and related genes (homologs) in other vertebrate species. In specific embodiments, the Delta genes and proteins are from vertebrates, or more particularly, mammals. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the Delta protein is a human protein. Production of the foregoing proteins and derivatives, e.g., by recombinant methods, is provided.

The invention relates to Delta derivatives and analogs of the invention which are functionally active, i.e., they are capable of displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (wild-type) Delta protein. Such functional activities include but are not limited to antigenicity [ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to an anti-Delta antibody], immunogenicity (ability to generate antibody which binds to Delta), ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to Notch or other toporythmic proteins or fragments thereof (“adhesiveness”), ability to bind (or compete with Delta for binding) to a receptor for Delta, ability to affect cell fate differentiation, and therapeutic activity. “Toporythmic proteins” as used herein, refers to the protein products of Notch, Delta, Serrate, Enhancer of split, and Deltex, as well as other members of this interacting gene family which may be identified, e.g., by virtue of the ability of their gene sequences to hybridize, or their homology to Delta, Serrate, or Notch, or the ability of their genes to display phenotypic interactions.

The invention further relates to fragments (and derivatives and analogs thereof) of Delta which comprise one or more domains of the Delta protein, including but not limited to the intracellular domain, extracellular domain, DSL domain, region amino-terminal to the DSL domain, transmembrane domain, membrane-associated region, or one or more EGF-like (homologous) repeats of a Delta protein, or any combination of the foregoing.

Antibodies to vertebrate Delta, its derivatives and analogs, are additionally provided.

As demonstrated infra, Delta plays a critical role in development and other physiological processes, in particular, as a ligand to Notch, which is involved in cell fate (differentiation) determination. In particular, Delta is believed to play a major role in determining cell fates in the central nervous system. The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences and antibodies thereto of the invention can be used for the detection and quantitation of Delta mRNA and protein of human and other species, to study expression thereof, to produce Delta and fragments and other derivatives and analogs thereof, in the study and manipulation of differentiation and other physiological processes. The present invention also relates to therapeutic and diagnostic methods and compositions based on Delta proteins and nucleic acids. The invention provides for treatment of disorders of cell fate or differentiation by administration of a therapeutic compound of the invention. Such therapeutic compounds (termed herein “Therapeutics”) include: Delta proteins and analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof; antibodies thereto; nucleic acids encoding the Delta proteins, analogs, or derivatives; and Delta antisense nucleic acids. In a preferred embodiment, a Therapeutic of the invention is administered to treat a cancerous condition, or to prevent progression from a pre-neoplastic or non-malignant state into a neoplastic or a malignant state. In other specific embodiments, a Therapeutic of the invention is administered to treat a nervous system disorder or to promote tissue regeneration and repair.

In one embodiment, Therapeutics which antagonize, or inhibit, Notch and/or Delta function (hereinafter “Antagonist Therapeutics”) are administered for therapeutic effect. In another embodiment, Therapeutics which promote Notch and/or Delta function (hereinafter “Agonist Therapeutics”) are administered for therapeutic effect.

Disorders of cell fate, in particular hyperproliferative (e.g., cancer) or hypoproliferative disorders, involving aberrant or undesirable levels of expression or activity or localization of Notch and/or Delta protein can be diagnosed by detecting such levels, as described more fully infra.

In a preferred aspect, a Therapeutic of the invention is a protein consisting of at least a fragment (termed herein “adhesive fragment”) of Delta which mediates binding to a Notch protein or a fragment thereof.

The invention is illustrated by way of examples infra which disclose, inter alia, the cloning of a chick Del ta homolog (Section 6), the cloning of a mouse Delta homolog (Section 7), and the cloning of a human Delta homolog (Section 8).

For clarity of disclosure, and not by way of limitation, the detailed description of the invention is divided into the subsections which follow.

5.1. ISOLATION OF THE DELTA GENES

The invention relates to the nucleotide sequences of vertebrate Delta nucleic acids. In specific embodiments, human Delta nucleic acids comprise the cDNA sequences shown in FIGS. 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO:14) or in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), or the coding regions thereof, or nucleic acids encoding a vertebrate Delta protein (e.g., having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 11, 14 or 26). The invention provides nucleic acids consisting of at least 8 nucleotides (i.e., a hybridizable portion) of a vertebrate Delta sequence; in other embodiments, the nucleic acids consist of at least 25 (continuous) nucleotides, 50 nucleotides, 100 nucleotides, 150 nucleotides, or 200 nucleotides of a Delta sequence, or a full-length Delta coding sequence. The invention also relates to nucleic acids hybridizable to or complementary to the foregoing sequences or their complements. In specific aspects, nucleic acids are provided which comprise a sequence complementary to at least 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 nucleotides or the entire coding region of a vertebrate Delta gene. In a specific embodiment, a nucleic acid which is hybridizable to a vertebrate (e.g., mammalian) Delta nucleic acid (e.g., having sequence SEQ ID NO:14 or SEQ ID NO:26, or an at least 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 nucleotide portion thereof), or to a nucleic acid encoding a Delta derivative, under conditions of low stringency is provided. By way of example and not limitation, procedures using such conditions of low stringency are as follows (see also Shilo and Weinberg, 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:6789-6792): Filters containing DNA are pretreated for 6 h at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA. Hybridizations are carried out in the same solution with the following modifications: 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml salmon sperm DNA, 10% (wt/vol) dextran sulfate, and 5-20×10⁶ cpm ³²P-labeled probe is used. Filters are incubated in hybridization mixture for 18-20 h at 40° C., and then washed for 1.5 h at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA, and 0.1% SDS. The wash solution is replaced with fresh solution and incubated an additional 1.5 h at 60° C. Filters are blotted dry and exposed for autoradiography. If necessary, filters are washed for a third time at 65-68° C. and reexposed to film. Other conditions of low stringency which may be used are well known in the art (e.g., as employed for cross-species hybridizations).

In another specific embodiment, a nucleic acid which is hybridizable to a vertebrate (e.g., mammalian) Delta nucleic acid under conditions of high stringency is provided. By way of example and not limitation, procedures using such conditions of high stringency are as follows: Prehybridization of filters containing DNA is carried out for 8 h to overnight at 65° C. in buffer composed of 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA. Filters are hybridized for 48 h at 65° C. in prehybridization mixture containing 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 5-20×10⁶ cpm of ³²P-labeled probe. Washing of filters is done at 37° C. for 1 h in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% BSA. This is followed by a wash in 0.1X SSC at 50° C. for 45 min before autoradiography. Other conditions of high stringency which may be used are well known in the art.

Nucleic acids encoding fragments and derivatives of vertebrate Delta proteins (see Section 5.6), and Delta antisense nucleic acids (see Section 5.11) are additionally provided. As is readily apparent, as used herein, a “nucleic acid encoding a fragment or portion of a Delta protein” shall be construed as referring to a nucleic acid encoding only the recited fragment or portion of the Delta protein and not the other contiguous portions of the Delta protein as a continuous sequence.

Fragments of vertebrate Delta nucleic acids comprising regions of homology to other toporythmic proteins are also provided. The DSL regions (regions of homology with Drosophila Serrate and Delta) of Delta proteins of other species are also provided. Nucleic acids encoding conserved regions between Delta and Serrate, such as those shown in FIGS. 3A-3B and 8 are also provided.

Specific embodiments for the cloning of a vertebrate Delta gene, presented as a particular example but not by way of limitation, follows:

For expression cloning (a technique commonly known in the art), an expression library is constructed by methods known in the art. For example, mRNA (e.g., human) is isolated, cDNA is made and ligated into an expression vector (e.g., a bacteriophage derivative) such that it is capable of being expressed by the host cell into which it is then introduced. Various screening assays can then be used to select for the expressed Delta product. In one embodiment, anti-Delta antibodies can be used for selection.

In another preferred aspect, PCR is used to amplify the desired sequence in a genomic or cDNA library, prior to selection. Oligonucleotide primers representing known Delta sequences (preferably vertebrate sequences) can be used as primers in PCR. In a preferred aspect, the oligonucleotide primers represent at least part of the Delta conserved segments of strong homology between Serrate and Delta. The synthetic oligonucleotides may be utilized as primers to amplify by PCR sequences from a source (RNA or DNA), preferably a cDNA library, of potential interest. PCR can be carried out, e.g., by use of a Perkin-Elmer Cetus thermal cycler and Taq polymerase (Gene Amp™). The DNA being amplified can include mRNA or cDNA or genomic DNA from any eukaryotic species. One can choose to synthesize several different degenerate primers, for use in the PCR reactions. It is also possible to vary the stringency of hybridization conditions used in priming the PCR reactions, to allow for greater or lesser degrees of nucleotide sequence similarity between the known Delta nucleotide sequence and the nucleic acid homolog being isolated. For cross species hybridization, low stringency conditions are preferred. For same species hybridization, moderately stringent conditions are preferred. After successful amplification of a segment of a Delta homolog, that segment may be molecularly cloned and sequenced, and utilized as a probe to isolate a complete cDNA or genomic clone. This, in turn, will permit the determination of the gene's complete nucleotide sequence, the analysis of its expression, and the production of its protein product for functional analysis, as described infra. In this fashion, additional genes encoding Delta proteins may be identified. Such a procedure is presented by way of example in various examples sections infra.

The above-methods are not meant to limit the following general description of methods by which clones of Delta may be obtained.

Any vertebrate cell potentially can serve as the nucleic acid source for the molecular cloning of the Delta gene. The nucleic acid sequences encoding Delta can be isolated from mammalian, human, porcine, bovine, feline, avian, equine, canine, as well as additional primate sources, etc. For example, we have amplified fragments of the Delta gene in mouse, chicken, and human, by PCR using cDNA libraries with Delta primers. The DNA may be obtained by standard procedures known in the art from cloned DNA (e.g., a DNA “library”), by chemical synthesis, by cDNA cloning, or by the cloning of genomic DNA, or fragments thereof, purified from the desired cell. (See, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York; Glover, D. M. (ed.), 1985, DNA Cloning: A Practical Approach, MRL Press, Ltd., Oxford, U.K. Vol. I, II.) Clones derived from genomic DNA may contain regulatory and intron DNA regions in addition to coding regions; clones derived from cDNA will contain only exon sequences. Whatever the source, the gene should be molecularly cloned into a suitable vector for propagation of the gene.

In the molecular cloning of the gene from genomic DNA, DNA fragments are generated, some of which will encode the desired gene. The DNA may be cleaved at specific sites using various restriction enzymes. Alternatively, one may use DNAse in the presence of manganese to fragment the DNA, or the DNA can be physically sheared, as for example, by sonication. The linear DNA fragments can then be separated according to size by standard techniques, including but not limited to, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and column chromatography.

Once the DNA fragments are generated, identification of the specific DNA fragment containing the desired gene may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, if an amount of a portion of a Delta (of any species) gene or its specific RNA, or a fragment thereof, e.g., an extracellular domain (see Section 5.6), is available and can be purified and labeled, the generated DNA fragments may be screened by nucleic acid hybridization to the labeled probe (Benton, W. and Davis, R., 1977, Science 196:180; Grunstein, M. And Hogness, D., 1975, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72:3961). Those DNA fragments with substantial homology to the probe will hybridize. It is also possible to identify the appropriate fragment by restriction enzyme digestion(s) and comparison of fragment sizes with those expected according to a known restriction map if such is available. Further selection can be carried out on the basis of the properties of the gene. Alternatively, the presence of the gene may be detected by assays based on the physical, chemical, or immunological properties of its expressed product. For example, cDNA clones, or DNA clones which hybrid-select the proper mRNAs, can be selected which produce a protein that, e.g., has similar or identical electrophoretic migration, isolectric focusing behavior, proteolytic digestion maps, binding activity, in vitro aggregation activity (“adhesiveness”) or antigenic properties as known for Delta. If an antibody to Delta is available, the Delta protein may be identified by binding of labeled antibody to the putatively Delta synthesizing clones, in an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)-type procedure.

The Delta gene can also be identified by mRNA selection by nucleic acid hybridization followed by in vitro translation. In this procedure, fragments are used to isolate complementary mRNAs by hybridization. Such DNA fragments may represent available, purified Delta DNA of another species (e.g., Drosophila). Immunoprecipitation analysis or functional assays (e.g., aggregation ability in vitro; binding to receptor; see infra) of the in vitro translation products of the isolated products of the isolated mRNAs identifies the mRNA and, therefore, the complementary DNA fragments that contain the desired sequences. In addition, specific mRNAs may be selected by adsorption of polysomes isolated from cells to immobilized antibodies specifically directed against Delta protein. A radiolabelled Delta cDNA can be synthesized using the selected mRNA (from the adsorbed polysomes) as a template. The radiolabelled mRNA or cDNA may then be used as a probe to identify the Delta DNA fragments from among other genomic DNA fragments.

Alternatives to isolating the Delta genomic DNA include, but are not limited to, chemically synthesizing the gene sequence itself from a known sequence or making cDNA to the mRNA which encodes the Delta protein. For example, RNA for cDNA cloning of the Delta gene can be isolated from cells which express Delta. Other methods are possible and within the scope of the invention.

The identified and isolated gene can then be inserted into an appropriate cloning vector. A large number of vector-host systems known in the art may be used. Possible vectors include, but are not limited to, plasmids or modified viruses, but the vector system must be compatible with the host cell used. Such vectors include, but are not limited to, bacteriophages such as lambda derivatives, or plasmids such as PBR322 or pUC plasmid derivatives. The insertion into a cloning vector can, for example, be accomplished by ligating the DNA fragment into a cloning vector which has complementary cohesive termini. However, if the complementary restriction sites used to fragment the DNA are not present in the cloning vector, the ends of the DNA molecules may be enzymatically modified. Alternatively, any site desired may be produced by ligating nucleotide sequences (linkers) onto the DNA termini; these ligated linkers may comprise specific chemically synthesized oligonucleotides encoding restriction endonuclease recognition sequences. In an alternative method, the cleaved vector and Delta gene may be modified by homopolymeric tailing. Recombinant molecules can be introduced into host cells via transformation, transfection, infection, electroporation, etc., so that many copies of the gene sequence are generated.

In an alternative method, the desired gene may be identified and isolated after insertion into a suitable cloning vector in a “shot gun” approach. Enrichment for the desired gene, for example, by size fractionation, can be done before insertion into the cloning vector.

In specific embodiments, transformation of host cells with recombinant DNA molecules that incorporate the isolated Delta gene, cDNA, or synthesized DNA sequence enables generation of multiple copies of the gene. Thus, the gene may be obtained in large quantities by growing transformants, isolating the recombinant DNA molecules from the transformants and when necessary, retrieving the inserted gene from the isolated recombinant DNA.

The Delta sequences provided by the instant invention include those nucleotide sequences encoding substantially the same amino acid sequences as found in native vertebrate Delta proteins, and those encoded amino acid sequences with functionally equivalent amino acids, all as described in Section 5.6 infra for Delta derivatives.

5.2. EXPRESSION OF THE DELTA GENES

The nucleotide sequence coding for a vertebrate Delta protein or a functionally active fragment or other derivative thereof (see Section 5.6), can be inserted into an appropriate expression vector, i.e., a vector which contains the necessary elements for the transcription and translation of the inserted protein-coding sequence. The necessary transcriptional and translational signals can also be supplied by the native Delta gene and/or its flanking regions. A variety of host-vector systems may be utilized to express the protein-coding sequence. These include but are not limited to mammalian cell systems infected with virus (e.g., vaccinia virus, adenovirus, etc.); insect cell systems infected with virus (e.g., baculovirus); microorganisms such as yeast containing yeast vectors, or bacteria transformed with bacteriophage, DNA, plasmid DNA, or cosmid DNA. The expression elements of vectors vary in their strengths and specificities. Depending on the host-vector system utilized, any one of a number of suitable transcription and translation elements may be used. In a specific embodiment, the adhesive portion of the Delta gene is expressed. In other specific embodiments, the human Delta gene is expressed, or a sequence encoding a functionally active portion of human Delta. In yet another embodiment, a fragment of Delta comprising the extracellular domain, or other derivative, or analog of Delta is expressed.

Any of the methods previously described for the insertion of DNA fragments into a vector may be used to construct expression vectors containing a chimeric gene consisting of appropriate transcriptional/translational control signals and the protein coding sequences. These methods may include in vitro recombinant DNA and synthetic techniques and in vivo recombinants (genetic recombination). Expression of nucleic acid sequence encoding a Delta protein or peptide fragment may be regulated by a second nucleic acid sequence so that the Delta protein or peptide is expressed in a host transformed with the recombinant DNA molecule. For example, expression of a Delta protein may be controlled by any promoter/enhancer element known in the art. Promoters which may be used to control Delta gene expression include, but are not limited to, the SV40 early promoter region (Bernoist and Chambon, 1981, Nature 290:304-310), the promoter contained in the 3′ long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto, et al., 1980, Cell 22:787-797), the herpes thymidine kinase promoter (Wagner et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1441-1445), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., 1982, Nature 296:39-42); prokaryotic expression vectors such as the β-lactamase promoter (Villa-Kamaroff, et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75:3727-3731), or the tac promoter (DeBoer, et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:21-25); see also “Useful proteins from recombinant bacteria” in Scientific American, 1980, 242:74-94; plant expression vectors comprising the nopaline synthetase promoter region (Herrera-Estrella et al., Nature 303:209-213) or the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter (Gardner, et al., 1981, Nucl. Acids Res. 9:2871), and the promoter of the photosynthetic enzyme ribulose biphosphate carboxylase (Herrera-Estrella et al., 1984, Nature 310:115-120); promoter elements from yeast or other fungi such as the Gal 4 promoter, the ADC (alcohol dehydrogenase) promoter, PGK (phosphoglycerol kinase) promoter, alkaline phosphatase promoter, and the following animal transcriptional control regions, which exhibit tissue specificity and have been utilized in transgenic animals: elastase I gene control region which is active in pancreatic acinar cells (Swift et al., 1984, Cell 38:639-646; Ornitz et al., 1986, Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 50:399-409; MacDonald, 1987, Hepatology 7:425-515); insulin gene control region which is active in pancreatic beta cells (Hanahan, 1985, Nature 315:115-122), immunoglobulin gene control region which is active in lymphoid cells (Grosschedl et al., 1984, Cell 38:647-658; Adames et al., 1985, Nature 318:533-538; Alexander et al., 1987, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:1436-1444), mouse mammary tumor virus control region which is active in testicular, breast, lymphoid and mast cells (Leder et al., 1986, Cell 45:485-495), albumin gene control region which is active in liver (Pinkert et al., 1987, Genes and Devel. 1:268-276), alpha-fetoprotein gene control region which is active in liver (Krumlauf et al., 1985, Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:1639-1648; Hammer et al., 1987, Science 235:53-58; alpha 1-antitrypsin gene control region which is active in the liver (Kelsey et al., 1987, Genes and Devel. 1:161-171), beta-globin gene control region which is active in myeloid cells (Mogram et al., 1985, Nature 315:338-340; Kollias et al., 1986, Cell 46:89-94; myelin basic protein gene control region which is active in oligodendrocyte cells in the brain (Readhead et al., 1987, Cell 48:703-712); myosin light chain-2 gene control region which is active in skeletal muscle (Sani, 1985, Nature 314:283-286), and gonadotropic releasing hormone gene control region which is active in the hypothalamus (Mason et al., 1986, Science 234:1372-1378).

Expression vectors containing Delta gene inserts can be identified by three general approaches: (a) nucleic acid hybridization, (b) presence or absence of “marker” gene functions, and (c) expression of inserted sequences. In the first approach, the presence of a foreign gene inserted in an expression vector can be detected by nucleic acid hybridization using probes comprising sequences that are homologous to an inserted toporythmic gene. In the second approach, the recombinant vector/host system can be identified and selected based upon the presence or absence of certain “marker” gene functions (e.g., thymidine kinase activity, resistance to antibiotics, transformation phenotype, occlusion body formation in baculovirus, etc.) caused by the insertion of foreign genes in the vector. For example, if the Delta gene is inserted within the marker gene sequence of the vector, recombinants containing the Delta insert can be identified by the absence of the marker gene function. In the third approach, recombinant expression vectors can be identified by assaying the foreign gene product expressed by the recombinant. Such assays can be based, for example, on the physical or functional properties of the Delta gene product in vitro assay systems, e.g., aggregation (binding) with Notch, binding to a receptor, binding with antibody.

Once a particular recombinant DNA molecule is identified and isolated, several methods known in the art may be used to propagate it. Once a suitable host system and growth conditions are established, recombinant expression vectors can be propagated and prepared in quantity. As previously explained, the expression vectors which can be used include, but are not limited to, the following vectors or their derivatives: human or animal viruses such as vaccinia virus or adenovirus; insect viruses such as baculovirus; yeast vectors; bacteriophage vectors (e.g., lambda), and plasmid and cosmid DNA vectors, to name but a few.

In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates the expression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the gene product in the specific fashion desired. Expression from certain promoters can be elevated in the presence of certain inducers; thus, expression of the genetically engineered Delta protein may be controlled. Furthermore, different host cells have characteristic and specific mechanisms for the translational and post-translational processing and modification (e.g., glycosylation, cleavage [e.g., of signal sequence]) of proteins. Appropriate cell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the desired modification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. For example, expression in a bacterial system can be used to produce an unglycosylated core protein product. Expression in yeast will produce a glycosylated product. Expression in mammalian cells can be used to ensure “native” glycosylation of a heterologous mammalian Delta protein. Furthermore, different vector/host expression systems may effect processing reactions such as proteolytic cleavages to different extents.

In other specific embodiments, the Delta protein, fragment, analog, or derivative may be expressed as a fusion, or chimeric protein product (comprising the protein, fragment, analog, or derivative joined via a peptide bond to a heterologous protein sequence (of a different protein)). Such a chimeric product can be made by ligating the appropriate nucleic acid sequences encoding the desired amino acid sequences to each other by methods known in the art, in the proper coding frame, and expressing the chimeric product by methods commonly known in the art. Alternatively, such a chimeric product may be made by protein synthetic techniques, e.g., by use of a peptide synthesizer.

Both cDNA and genomic sequences can be cloned and expressed.

5.3. IDENTIFICATION AND PURIFICATION OF THE DELTA GENE PRODUCTS

In particular aspects, the invention provides amino acid sequences of a vertebrate Delta, preferably a human Delta, and fragments and derivatives thereof which comprise an antigenic determinant (i.e., can be recognized by an antibody) or which are otherwise functionally active, as well as nucleic acid sequences encoding the foregoing. “Functionally active” material as used herein refers to that material displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (wild-type) Delta protein, e.g., binding to Notch or a portion thereof, binding to any other Delta ligand, antigenicity (binding to an anti-Delta antibody), etc.

In specific embodiments, the invention provides fragments of a Delta protein consisting of at least 6 amino acids, 10 amino acids, 25 amino acids, 50 amino acids, or of at least 75 amino acids. Molecules comprising such fragments are also provided. In other embodiments, the proteins comprise or consist essentially of an extracellular domain, DSL domain, epidermal growth factor-like repeat (ELR) domain, one or any combination of ELRs, transmembrane domain, or intracellular (cytoplasmic) domain, or a portion which binds to Notch, or any combination of the foregoing, of a vertebrate Delta protein. Fragments, or proteins comprising fragments, lacking some or all of the foregoing regions of a Delta protein are also provided. Nucleic acids encoding the foregoing are provided.

Once a recombinant which expresses the Delta gene sequence is identified, the gene product can be analyzed. This is achieved by assays based on the physical or functional properties of the product, including radioactive labelling of the product followed by analysis by gel electrophoresis, immunoassay, etc.

Once the Delta protein is identified, it may be isolated and purified by standard methods including chromatography (e.g., ion exchange, affinity, and sizing column chromatography), centrifugation, differential solubility, or by any other standard technique for the purification of proteins. The functional properties may be evaluated using any suitable assay (see Section 5.7).

Alternatively, once a Delta protein produced by a recombinant is identified, the amino acid sequence of the protein can be deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the chimeric gene contained in the recombinant. As a result, the protein can be synthesized by standard chemical methods known in the art (e.g., see Hunkapiller, M., et al., 1984, Nature 310:105-111).

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, such Delta proteins, whether produced by recombinant DNA techniques or by chemical synthetic methods, include but are not limited to those containing, as a primary amino acid sequence, all or part of the amino acid sequences substantially as depicted in FIGS. 2, 8, 11 or 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:2, 12, 23 and 65-80), as well as fragments and other derivatives, and analogs thereof.

5.4. STRUCTURE OF THE DELTA GENES AND PROTEINS

The structure of the vertebrate Delta genes and proteins can be analyzed by various methods known in the art.

5.4.1. GENETIC ANALYSIS

The cloned DNA or cDNA corresponding to the Delta gene can be analyzed by methods including but not limited to Southern hybridization (Southern, E. M., 1975, J. Mol. Biol. 98:503-517), Northern hybridization (see e.g., Freeman et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:4094-4098), restriction endonuclease mapping (Maniatis, T., 1982, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), and DNA sequence analysis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202, 4,683,195 and 4,889,818; Gyllenstein et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:7652-7656; Ochman et al., 1988, Genetics 120:621-623; Loh et al., 1989, Science 243:217-220) followed by Southern hybridization with a Delta-specific probe can allow the detection of the Delta gene in DNA from various cell types. Methods of amplification other than PCR are commonly known and can also be employed. In one embodiment, Southern hybridization can be used to determine the genetic linkage of Delta. Northern hybridization analysis can be used to determine the expression of the Delta gene. Various cell types, at various states of development or activity can be tested for Delta expression. Examples of such techniques and their results are described in Section 6, infra. The stringency of the hybridization conditions for both Southern and Northern hybridization can be manipulated to ensure detection of nucleic acids with the desired degree of relatedness to the specific Delta probe used.

Restriction endonuclease mapping can be used to roughly determine the genetic structure of the Delta gene. Restriction maps derived by restriction endonuclease cleavage can be confirmed by DNA sequence analysis.

DNA sequence analysis can be performed by any techniques known in the art, including but not limited to the method of Maxam and Gilbert (1980, Meth. Enzymol. 65:499-560), the Sanger dideoxy method (Sanger, F., et al., 1977, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74:5463), the use of T7 DNA polymerase (Tabor and Richardson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,699), or use of an automated DNA sequenator (e.g., Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.).

5.4.2. PROTEIN ANALYSIS

The amino acid sequence of the Delta protein can be derived by deduction from the DNA sequence, or alternatively, by direct sequencing of the protein, e.g., with an automated amino acid sequencer. The amino acid sequence of a representative Delta protein comprises the sequence substantially as depicted in FIG. 2, and detailed in Section 6, infra, with the representative mature protein that shown by amino acid numbers 1-728.

The Delta protein sequence can be further characterized by a hydrophilicity analysis (Hopp, T. and Woods, K., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:3824). A hydrophilicity profile can be used to identify the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the Delta protein and the corresponding regions of the gene sequence which encode such regions. Hydrophilic regions are more likely to be immunogenic.

Secondary, structural analysis (Chou, P. and Fasman, G., 1974, Biochemistry 13:222) can also be done, to identify regions of Delta that assume specific secondary structures.

Manipulation, translation, and secondary structure prediction, as well as open reading frame prediction and plotting, can also be accomplished using computer software programs available in the art.

Other methods of structural analysis can also be employed. These include but are not limited to X-ray crystallography (Engstom, A., 1974, Biochem. Exp. Biol. 11:7-13) and computer modeling (Fletterick, R. and Zoller, M. (eds.), 1986, Computer Graphics and Molecular Modeling, in Current Communications in Molecular Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.).

5.5. GENERATION OF ANTIBODIES TO DELTA PROTEINS AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF

According to the invention, a vertebrate Delta protein, its fragments or other derivatives, or analogs thereof, may be used as an immunogen to generate antibodies which recognize such an immunogen. Such antibodies include but are not limited to polyclonal, monoclonal, chimeric, single chain, Fab fragments, and an Fab expression library. In a specific embodiment, antibodies to human Delta are produced. In another embodiment, antibodies to the extracellular domain of Delta are produced. In another embodiment, antibodies to the intracellular domain of Delta are produced.

Various procedures known in the art may be used for the production of polyclonal antibodies to a Delta protein or derivative or analog. In a particular embodiment, rabbit polyclonal antibodies to an epitope of the Delta protein encoded by a sequence depicted in FIGS. 1A1-1A3, 1B1-1B2, 7A-7B or 11, or a subsequence thereof, can be obtained. For the production of antibody, various host animals can be immunized by injection with the native Delta protein, or a synthetic version, or derivative (e.g., fragment) thereof, including but not limited to rabbits, mice, rats, etc. Various adjuvants may be used to increase the immunological response, depending on the host species, and including but not limited to Freund's (complete and incomplete), mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemocyanins, dinitrophenol, and potentially useful human adjuvants such as BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) and corynebacterium parvum.

For preparation of monoclonal antibodies directed toward a Delta protein sequence or analog thereof, any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture may be used. For example, the hybridoma technique originally developed by Kohler and Milstein (1975, Nature 256:495-497), as well as the trioma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kozbor et al., 1983, Immunology Today 4:72), and the EBV-hybridoma technique to produce human monoclonal antibodies (Cole et al., 1985, in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 77-96). In an additional embodiment of the invention, monoclonal antibodies can be produced in germ-free animals utilizing recent technology (PCT/US90/02545). According to the invention, human antibodies may be used and can be obtained by using human hybridomas (Cote et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80:2026-2030) or by transforming human B cells with EBV virus in vitro (Cole et al., 1985, in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, pp. 77-96). In fact, according to the invention, techniques developed for the production of “chimeric antibodies” (Morrison et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al., 1984, Nature 312:604-608; Takeda et al., 1985, Nature 314:452-454) by splicing the genes from a mouse antibody molecule specific for Delta together with genes from a human antibody molecule of appropriate biological activity can be used; such antibodies are within the scope of this invention.

According to the invention, techniques described for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778) can be adapted to produce Delta-specific single chain antibodies. An additional embodiment of the invention utilizes the techniques described for the construction of Fab expression libraries (Huse et al., 1989, Science 246:1275-1281) to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity for Delta proteins, derivatives, or analogs.

Antibody fragments which contain the idiotype of the molecule can be generated by known techniques. For example, such fragments include but are not limited to: the F(ab′)₂ fragment which can be produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule; the Fab′ fragments which can be generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab′)₂ fragment, and the Fab fragments which can be generated by treating the antibody molecule with papain and a reducing agent.

In the production of antibodies, screening for the desired antibody can be accomplished by techniques known in the art, e.g. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). For example, to select antibodies which recognize a specific domain of a vertebrate Delta protein, one may assay generated hybridomas for a product which binds to a Delta fragment containing such domain. For selection of an antibody immunospecific to human Delta, one can select on the basis of positive binding to human Delta and a lack of binding to Drosophila Delta.

The foregoing antibodies can be used in methods known in the art relating to the localization and activity of the protein sequences of the invention (e.g., see Section 5.7, infra), e.g., for imaging these proteins, measuring levels thereof in appropriate physiological samples, in diagnostic methods, etc.

Antibodies specific to a domain of a Delta protein are also provided. In a specific embodiment, antibodies which bind to a Notch-binding fragment of Delta are provided.

In another embodiment of the invention (see infra), anti-Delta antibodies and fragments thereof containing the binding domain are Therapeutics.

5.6. DELTA PROTEINS. DERIVATIVES AND ANALOGS

The invention further relates to vertebrate (e.g., mammalian) Delta proteins, and derivatives (including but not limited to fragments) and analogs of vertebrate Delta proteins. Nucleic acids encoding Delta protein derivatives and protein analogs are also provided. In one embodiment, the Delta proteins are encoded by the Delta nucleic acids described in Section 5.1 supra. In particular aspects, the proteins, derivatives, or analogs are of mouse, chicken, rat, pig, cow, dog, monkey, or human Delta proteins. In a specific embodiment, a mature, full-length vertebrate Delta protein is provided. In one embodiment, a vertebrate Delta protein lacking only the signal sequence (approximately the first 17 amino-terminal amino acids) is provided.

The production and use of derivatives and analogs related to Delta are within the scope of the present invention. In a specific embodiment, the derivative or analog is functionally active, i.e., capable of exhibiting one or more functional activities associated with a full-length, wild-type Delta protein. As one example, such derivatives or analogs which have the desired immunogenicity or antigenicity can be used, for example, in immunoassays, for immunization, for inhibition of Delta activity, etc. Such molecules which retain, or alternatively inhibit, a desired Delta property, e.g., binding to Notch or other toporythmic proteins, binding to a cell-surface receptor, can be used as inducers, or inhibitors, respectively, of such property and its physiological correlates. A specific embodiment relates to a Delta fragment that can be bound by an anti-Delta antibody but cannot bind to a Notch protein or other toporythmic protein. Derivatives or analogs of Delta can be tested for the desired activity by procedures known in the art, including but not limited to the assays described in Section 5.7.

In particular, Delta derivatives can be made by altering Delta sequences by substitutions, additions or deletions that provide for functionally equivalent molecules. Due to the degeneracy of nucleotide coding sequences, other DNA sequences which encode substantially the same amino acid sequence as a Delta gene may be used in the practice of the present invention. These include but are not limited to nucleotide sequences comprising all or portions of Delta genes which are altered by the substitution of different codons that encode a functionally equivalent amino acid residue within the sequence, thus producing a silent change. Likewise, the Delta derivatives of the invention include, but are not limited to, those containing, as a primary amino acid sequence, all or part of the amino acid sequence of a Delta protein including altered sequences in which functionally equivalent amino acid residues are substituted for residues within the sequence resulting in a silent change. For example, one or more amino acid residues within the sequence can be substituted by another amino acid of a similar polarity which acts as a functional equivalent, resulting in a silent alteration. Substitutes for an amino acid within the sequence may be selected from other members of the class to which the amino acid belongs. For example, the nonpolar (hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan and methionine. The polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine, and glutamine. The positively charged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine and histidine. The negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, proteins consisting of or comprising a fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein consisting of at least 10 (continuous) amino acids of the Delta protein is provided. In other embodiments, the fragment consists of at least 20 or 50 amino acids of the Delta protein. In specific embodiments, such fragments are not larger than 35, 100 or 200 amino acids. Derivatives or analogs of Delta include but are not limited to those peptides which are substantially homologous to a vertebrate Delta protein or fragments thereof (e.g., at least 30%, 50%, 70%, or 90% identity over an amino acid sequence of identical size—e.g., comprising a domain) or whose encoding nucleic acid is capable of hybridizing to a coding Delta sequence.

The Delta derivatives and analogs of the invention can be produced by various methods known in the art. The manipulations which result in their production can occur at the gene or protein level. For example, the cloned Delta gene sequence can be modified by any of numerous strategies known in the art (Maniatis, T., 1990, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). The sequence can be cleaved at appropriate sites with restriction endonuclease(s), followed by further enzymatic modification if desired, isolated, and ligated in vitro. In the production of the gene encoding a derivative or analog of Delta, care should be taken to ensure that the modified gene remains within the same translational reading frame as Delta, uninterrupted by translational stop signals, in the gene region where the desired Delta activity is encoded.

Additionally, the Delta-encoding nucleic acid sequence can be mutated in vitro or in vivo, to create and/or destroy translation, initiation, and/or termination sequences, or to create variations in coding regions and/or form new restriction endonuclease sites or destroy preexisting ones, to facilitate further in vitro modification. Any technique for mutagenesis known in the art can be used, including but not limited to, in vitro site-directed mutagenesis (Hutchinson, C., et al., 1978, J. Biol. Chem 253:6551), use of TAB® linkers (Pharmacia), etc. PCR primers containing sequence changes can be used in PCR to introduce such changes into the amplified fragments.

Manipulations of the Delta sequence may also be made at the protein level. Included within the scope of the invention are Delta protein fragments or other derivatives or analogs which are differentially modified during or after translation, e.g., by glycosylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, amidation, derivatization by known protecting/blocking groups, proteolytic cleavage, linkage to an antibody molecule or other cellular ligand, etc. Any of numerous chemical modifications may be carried out by known techniques, including but not limited to specific chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, V8 protease, NaBH₄; acetylation, formylation, oxidation, reduction; metabolic synthesis in the presence of tunicamycin; etc.

In addition, analogs and derivatives of Delta can be chemically synthesized. For example, a peptide corresponding to a portion of a Delta protein which comprises the desired domain (see Section 5.6.1), or which mediates the desired aggregation activity in vitro, or binding to a receptor, can be synthesized by use of a peptide synthesizer. Furthermore, if desired, nonclassical amino acids or chemical amino acid analogs can be introduced as a substitution or addition into the Delta sequence. Non-classical amino acids include but are not limited to the D-isomers of the common amino acids, α-amino isobutyric acid, 4-aminobutyric acid, hydroxyproline, sarcosine, citrulline, cysteic acid, t-butylglycine, t-butylalanine, phenylglycine, cyclohexylalanine, β-alanine, designer amino acids such as β-methyl amino acids, Cα-methyl amino acids, and Nα-methyl amino acids.

In a specific embodiment, the Delta derivative is a chimeric, or fusion, protein comprising a vertebrate Delta protein or fragment thereof (preferably consisting of at least a domain or motif of the Delta protein, or at least 10 amino acids of the Delta protein) joined at its amino- or carboxy-terminus via a peptide bond to an amino acid sequence of a different protein. In one embodiment, such a chimeric protein is produced by recombinant expression of a nucleic acid encoding the protein (comprising a Delta-coding sequence joined in-frame to a coding sequence for a different protein). Such a chimeric product can be made by ligating the appropriate nucleic acid sequences encoding the desired amino acid sequences to each other by methods known in the art, in the proper coding frame, and expressing the chimeric product by methods commonly known in the art. Alternatively, such a chimeric product may be made by protein synthetic techniques, e.g., by use of a peptide synthesizer. In a specific embodiment, a chimeric nucleic acid encoding a mature Delta protein with a heterologous signal sequence is expressed such that the chimeric protein is expressed and processed by the cell to the mature Delta protein. As another example, and not by way of limitation, a recombinant molecule can be constructed according to the invention, comprising coding portions of both Delta and another toporythmic gene, e.g., Serrate. The encoded protein of such a recombinant molecule could exhibit properties associated with both Serrate and Delta and portray a novel profile of biological activities, including agonists as well as antagonists. The primary sequence of Delta and Serrate may also be used to predict tertiary structure of the molecules using computer simulation (Hopp and Woods, 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:3824-3828); Delta/Serrate chimeric recombinant genes could be designed in light of correlations between tertiary structure and biological function. Likewise, chimeric genes comprising portions of Delta fused to any heterologous protein-encoding sequences may be constructed. A specific embodiment relates to a chimeric protein comprising a fragment of Delta of at least six amino acids.

In another specific embodiment, the Delta derivative is a fragment of vertebrate Delta comprising a region of homology with another toporythmic protein. As used herein, a region of a first protein shall be considered “homologous” to a second protein when the amino acid sequence of the region is at least 30% identical or at least 75% either identical or involving conservative changes, when compared to any sequence in the second protein of an equal number of amino acids as the number contained in the region. For example, such a Delta fragment can comprise one or more regions homologous to Serrate, including but not limited to the DSL domain or a portion thereof.

Other specific embodiments of derivatives and analogs are described in the subsections below and examples sections infra.

5.6.1. DERIVATIVES OF DELTA CONTAINING ONE OR MORE DOMAINS OF THE PROTEIN

In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to vertebrate Delta derivatives and analogs, in particular Delta fragments and derivatives of such fragments, that comprise, or alternatively consist of, one or more domains of the Delta protein, including but not limited to the extracellular domain, signal sequence, region amino-terminal to the DSL domain, DSL domain, ELR domain, transmembrane domain, intracellular domain, and one or more of the EGF-like repeats (ELR) of the Delta protein (e.g., ELRs 1-9), or any combination of the foregoing. In particular examples relating to the chick and mouse Delta proteins, such domains are identified in Examples Section 6 and 7, respectively, and in FIGS. 3A-3B and 9A-9B. Thus, by way of example is provided, a molecule comprising an extracellular domain (approximately amino acids 1-545), signal sequence (approximately amino acids 1-17), region amino-terminal to the DSL domain (approximately amino acids 1-178), the DSL domain (approximately amino acids 179-223), EGF1 (approximately amino acids 229-260), EGF2 (approximately amino acids 261-292), EGF3 (approximately amino acids 293-332), EGF4 (approximately amino acids 333-370), EGF5 (approximately amino acids 371-409), EGF6 (approximately amino acids 410-447), EGF7 (approximately amino acids 448-485), EGF8 (approximately amino acids 486-523), transmembrane domain, and intracellular (cytoplasmic) domain (approximately amino acids 555-728) of a vertebrate Delta.

In a specific embodiment, the molecules comprising specific fragments of vertebrate Delta are those comprising fragments in the respective Delta protein most homologous to specific fragments of the Drosophila or chick Delta protein. In particular embodiments, such a molecule comprises or consists of the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 or 23. Alternatively, a fragment comprising a domain of a Delta homolog can be identified by protein analysis methods as described in Section 5.3.2.

5.6.2. DERIVATIVES OF DELTA THAT MEDIATE BINDING TO TOPORYTHMIC PROTEIN DOMAINS

The invention also provides for vertebrate Delta fragments, and analogs or derivatives of such fragments, which mediate binding to toporythmic proteins (and thus are termed herein “adhesive”), and nucleic acid sequences encoding the foregoing.

In a particular embodiment, the adhesive fragment of a Delta protein comprises the DSL domain, or a portion thereof. Subfragments within the DSL domain that mediate binding to Notch can be identified by analysis of constructs expressing deletion mutants.

The ability to bind to a toporythmic protein (preferably Notch) can be demonstrated by in vitro aggregation assays with cells expressing such a toporythmic protein as well as cells expressing Delta or a Delta derivative (See Section 5.7). That is, the ability of a Delta fragment to bind to a Notch protein can be demonstrated by detecting the ability of the Delta fragment, when expressed on the surface of a first cell, to bind to a Notch protein expressed on the surface of a second cell.

The nucleic acid sequences encoding toporythmic proteins or adhesive domains thereof, for use in such assays, can be isolated from human, porcine, bovine, feline, avian, equine, canine, or insect, as well as primate sources and any other species in which homologs of known toporythmic genes can be identified.

5.7. ASSAYS OF DELTA PROTEINS, DERIVATIVES AND ANALOGS

The functional activity of vertebrate Delta proteins, derivatives and analogs can be assayed by various methods.

For example, in one embodiment, where one is assaying for the ability to bind or compete with wild-type Delta for binding to anti-Delta antibody, various immunoassays known in the art can be used, including but not limited to competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), “sandwich” immunoassays, immunoradiometric assays, gel diffusion precipitin reactions, immunodiffusion assays, in situ immunoassays (using colloidal gold, enzyme or radioisotope labels, for example), western blots, precipitation reactions, agglutination assays (e.g., gel agglutination assays, hemagglutination assays), complement fixation assays, immunofluorescence assays, protein A assays, and immunoelectrophoresis assays, etc. In one embodiment, antibody binding is detected by detecting a label on the primary antibody. In another embodiment, the primary antibody is detected by detecting binding of a secondary antibody or reagent to the primary antibody. In a further embodiment, the secondary antibody is labelled. Many means are known in the art for detecting binding in an immunoassay and are within the scope of the present invention.

In another embodiment, where one is assaying for the ability to mediate binding to a toporythmic protein, e.g., Notch, one can carry out an in vitro aggregation assay (see Fehon et al., 1990, Cell 61:523-534; Rebay et al., 1991, Cell 67:687-699).

In another embodiment, where a receptor for Delta is identified, receptor binding can be assayed, e.g., by means well-known in the art. In another embodiment, physiological correlates of Delta binding to cells expressing a Delta receptor (signal transduction) can be assayed.

In another embodiment, in insect or other model systems, genetic studies can be done to study the phenotypic effect of a Delta mutant that is a derivative or analog of wild-type Delta.

Other methods will be known to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of the invention.

5.8. THERAPEUTIC USES

The invention provides for treatment of disorders of cell fate or differentiation by administration of a therapeutic compound of the invention. Such therapeutic compounds (termed herein “Therapeutics”) include: Delta proteins and analogs and derivatives (including fragments) thereof (e.g., as described hereinabove); antibodies thereto (as described hereinabove); nucleic acids encoding the Delta proteins, analogs, or derivatives (e.g., as described hereinabove); and Delta antisense nucleic acids. As stated supra, the Antagonist Therapeutics of the invention are those Therapeutics which antagonize, or inhibit, a Delta function and/or Notch function (since Delta is a Notch ligand). Such Antagonist Therapeutics are most preferably identified by use of known convenient in vitro assays, e.g., based on their ability to inhibit binding of Delta to another protein (e.g., a Notch protein), or inhibit any known Notch or Delta function as preferably assayed in vitro or in cell culture, although genetic assays (e.g., in Drosophila) may also be employed. In a preferred embodiment, the Antagonist Therapeutic is a protein or derivative thereof comprising a functionally active fragment such as a fragment of Delta which mediates binding to Notch, or an antibody thereto. In other specific embodiments, such an Antagonist Therapeutic is a nucleic acid capable of expressing a molecule comprising a fragment of Delta which binds to Notch, or a Delta antisense nucleic acid (see Section 5.11 herein). It should be noted that preferably, suitable in vitro or in vivo assays, as described infra, should be utilized to determine the effect of a specific Therapeutic and whether its administration is indicated for treatment of the affected tissue, since the developmental history of the tissue may determine whether an Antagonist or Agonist Therapeutic is desired.

In addition, the mode of administration, e.g., whether administered in soluble form or administered via its encoding nucleic acid for intracellular recombinant expression, of the Delta protein or derivative can affect whether it acts as an agonist or antagonist.

In another embodiment of the invention, a nucleic acid containing a portion of a Delta gene is used, as an Antagonist Therapeutic, to promote Delta inactivation by homologous recombination (Koller and Smithies, 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8932-8935; Zijlstra et al., 1989, Nature 342:435-438).

The Agonist Therapeutics of the invention, as described supra, promote Delta function. Such Agonist Therapeutics include but are not limited to proteins and derivatives comprising the portions of Notch that mediate binding to Delta, and nucleic acids encoding the foregoing (which can be administered to express their encoded products in vivo).

Further descriptions and sources of Therapeutics of the inventions are found in Sections 5.1 through 5.7 herein.

Molecules which retain, or alternatively inhibit, a desired Delta property, e.g., binding to Notch, binding to an intracellular ligand, can be used therapeutically as inducers, or inhibitors, respectively, of such property and its physiological correlates. In a specific embodiment, a peptide (e.g., in the range of 6-50 or 15-25 amino acids; and particularly of about 10, 15, 20 or 25 amino acids) containing the sequence of a portion of Delta which binds to Notch is used to antagonize Notch function. In a specific embodiment, such an Antagonist Therapeutic is used to treat or prevent human or other malignancies associated with increased Notch expression (e.g., cervical cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, squamous adenocarcimas (see infra)). Derivatives or analogs of Delta can be tested for the desired activity by procedures known in the art, including but not limited to the assays described in the examples infra. For example, molecules comprising Delta fragments which bind to Notch EGF-repeats (ELR) 11 and 12 and which are smaller than a DSL domain, can be obtained and selected by expressing deletion mutants and assaying for binding of the expressed product to Notch by any of the several methods (e.g., in vitro cell aggregation assays, interaction trap system), some of which are described in the Examples Sections infra. In one specific embodiment, peptide libraries can be screened to select a peptide with the desired activity; such screening can be carried out by assaying, e.g., for binding to Notch or a molecule containing the Notch ELR 11 and 12 repeats.

Other Therapeutics include molecules that bind to a vertebrate Delta protein. Thus, the invention also provides a method for identifying such molecules. Such molecules can be identified by a method comprising contacting a plurality of molecules (e.g., in a peptide library, or combinatorial chemical library) with the Delta protein under conditions conducive to binding, and recovering any molecules that bind to the Delta protein.

The Agonist and Antagonist Therapeutics of the invention have therapeutic utility for disorders of cell fate. The Agonist Therapeutics are administered therapeutically (including prophylactically): (1) in diseases or disorders involving an absence or decreased (relative to normal, or desired) levels of Notch or Delta function, for example, in patients where Notch or Delta protein is lacking, genetically defective, biologically inactive or underactive, or underexpressed; and (2) in diseases or disorders wherein in vitro (or in vivo) assays (see infra) indicate the utility of Delta agonist administration. The absence or decreased levels in Notch or Delta function can be readily detected, e.g., by obtaining a patient tissue sample (e.g., from biopsy tissue) and assaying it in vitro for protein levels, structure and/or activity of the expressed Notch or Delta protein. Many methods standard in the art can be thus employed, including but not limited to immunoassays to detect and/or visualize Notch or Delta protein (e.g., Western blot, immunoprecipitation followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunocytochemistry, etc.) and/or hybridization assays to detect Notch or Delta expression by detecting and/or visualizing respectively Notch or Delta mRNA (e.g., Northern assays, dot blots, in situ hybridization, etc.)

In vitro assays which can be used to determine whether administration of a specific Agonist Therapeutic or Antagonist Therapeutic is indicated, include in vitro cell culture assays in which a patient tissue sample is grown in culture, and exposed to or otherwise administered a Therapeutic, and the effect of such Therapeutic upon the tissue sample is observed. In one embodiment, where the patient has a malignancy, a sample of cells from such malignancy is plated out or grown in culture, and the cells are then exposed to a Therapeutic. A Therapeutic which inhibits survival or growth of the malignant cells (e.g., by promoting terminal differentiation) is selected for therapeutic use in vivo. Many assays standard in the art can be used to assess such survival and/or growth; for example, cell proliferation can be assayed by measuring ³H-thymidine incorporation, by direct cell count, by detecting changes in transcriptional activity of known genes such as proto-oncogenes (e.g., fos, myc) or cell cycle markers; cell viability can be assessed by trypan blue staining, differentiation can be assessed visually based on changes in morphology, etc. In a specific aspect, the malignant cell cultures are separately exposed to (1) an Agonist Therapeutic, and (2) an Antagonist Therapeutic; the result of the assay can indicate which type of Therapeutic has therapeutic efficacy.

In another embodiment, a Therapeutic is indicated for use which exhibits the desired effect, inhibition or promotion of cell growth, upon a patient cell sample from tissue having or suspected of having a hyper- or hypoproliferative disorder, respectively. Such hyper- or hypoproliferative disorders include but are not limited to those described in Sections 5.8.1 through 5.8.3 infra.

In another specific embodiment, a Therapeutic is indicated for use in treating nerve injury or a nervous system degenerative disorder (see Section 5.8.2) which exhibits in vitro promotion of nerve regeneration/neurite extension from nerve cells of the affected patient type.

In addition, administration of an Antagonist Therapeutic of the invention is also indicated in diseases or disorders determined or known to involve a Notch or Delta dominant activated phenotype (“gain of function” mutations.) Administration of an Agonist Therapeutic is indicated in diseases or disorders determined or known to involve a Notch or Delta dominant negative phenotype (“loss of function” mutations). The functions of various structural domains of the Notch protein have been investigated in vivo, by ectopically expressing a series of Drosophila Notch deletion mutants under the hsp70 heat-shock promoter, as well as eye-specific promoters (see Rebay et al., 1993, Cell 74:319-329). Two classes of dominant phenotypes were observed, one suggestive of Notch loss-of function mutations and the other of Notch gain-of-function mutations. Dominant “activated” phenotypes resulted from overexpression of a protein lacking most extracellular sequences, while dominant “negative” phenotypes resulted from overexpression of a protein lacking most intracellular sequences. The results indicated that Notch functions as a receptor whose extracellular domain mediates ligand-binding, resulting in the transmission of developmental signals by the cytoplasmic domain.

In various specific embodiments, in vitro assays can be carried out with representative cells of cell types involved in a patient's disorder, to determine if a Therapeutic has a desired effect upon such cell types.

In another embodiment, cells of a patient tissue sample suspected of being pre-neoplastic are similarly plated out or grown in vitro, and exposed to a Therapeutic. The Therapeutic which results in a cell phenotype that is more normal (i.e., less representative of a pre-neoplastic state, neoplastic state, malignant state, or transformed phenotype) is selected for therapeutic use. Many assays standard in the art can be used to assess whether a pre-neoplastic state, neoplastic state, or a transformed or malignant phenotype, is present. For example, characteristics associated with a transformed phenotype (a set of in vitro characteristics associated with a tumorigenic ability in vivo) include a more rounded cell morphology, looser substratum attachment, loss of contact inhibition, loss of anchorage dependence, release of proteases such as plasminogen activator, increased sugar transport, decreased serum requirement, expression of fetal antigens, disappearance of the 250,000 dalton surface protein, etc. (see Luria et al., 1978, General Virology, 3d Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York pp. 436-446).

In other specific embodiments, the in vitro assays described supra can be carried out using a cell line, rather than a cell sample derived from the specific patient to be treated, in which the cell line is derived from or displays characteristic(s) associated with the malignant, neoplastic or pre-neoplastic disorder desired to be treated or prevented, or is derived from the neural or other cell type upon which an effect is desired, according to the present invention.

The Antagonist Therapeutics are administered therapeutically (including prophylactically): (1) in diseases or disorders involving increased (relative to normal, or desired) levels of Notch or Delta function, for example, where the Notch or Delta protein is overexpressed or overactive; and (2) in diseases or disorders wherein in vitro (or in vivo) assays indicate the utility of Delta antagonist administration. The increased levels of Notch or Delta function can be readily detected by methods such as those described above, by quantifying protein and/or RNA. In vitro assays with cells of patient tissue sample or the appropriate cell line or cell type, to determine therapeutic utility, can be carried out as described above.

5.8.1. MALIGNANCIES

Malignant and pre-neoplastic conditions which can be tested as described supra for efficacy of intervention with Antagonist or Agonist Therapeutics, and which can be treated upon thus observing an indication of therapeutic utility, include but are not limited to those described below in Sections 5.8.1 and 5.9.1.

Malignancies and related disorders, cells of which type can be tested in vitro (and/or in vivo), and upon observing the appropriate assay result, treated according to the present invention, include but are not limited to those listed in Table 1 (for a review of such disorders, see Fishman et al., 1985, Medicine, 2d Ed., J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia):

TABLE 1 MALIGNANCIES AND RELATED DISORDERS Leukemia acute leukemia acute lymphocytic leukemia acute myelocytic leukemia myeloblastic promyelocytic myelomonocytic monocytic erythroleukemia chronic leukemia chronic myelocytic (granulocytic) leukemia chronic lymphocytic leukemia Polycythemia vera Lymphoma Hodgkin's disease non-Hodgkin's disease Multiple myeloma Waldenström's macroglobulinemia Heavy chain disease Solid tumors sarcomas and carcinomas fibrosarcoma myxosarcoma liposarcoma chondrosarcoma osteogenic sarcoma chordoma angiosarcoma endotheliosarcoma lymphangiosarcoma lymphangioendotheliosarcoma synovioma mesothelioma Ewing's tumor leiomyosarcoma rhabdomyosarcoma colon carcinoma pancreatic cancer breast cancer ovarian cancer prostate cancer squamous cell carcinoma basal cell carcinoma adenocarcinoma sweat gland carcinoma sebaceous gland carcinoma papillary carcinoma papillary adenocarcinomas cystadenocarcinoma medullary carcinoma bronchogenic carcinoma renal cell carcinoma hepatoma bile duct carcinoma choriocarcinoma seminoma embryonal carcinoma Wilms' tumor cervical cancer testicular tumor lung carcinoma small cell lung carcinoma bladder carcinoma epithelial carcinoma astrocytoma medulloblastoma craniopharyngioma ependymoma pinealoma hemangioblastoma acoustic neuroma oligodendroglioma menangioma melanoma neuroblastoma retinoblastoma

In specific embodiments, malignancy or dysproliferative changes (such as metaplasias and dysplasias) are treated or prevented in epithelial tissues such as those in the cervix, esophagus, and lung.

Malignancies of the colon and cervix exhibit increased expression of human Notch relative to such non-malignant tissue (see PCT Publication no. WO 94/07474 published April 14, 1994, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). Thus, in specific embodiments, malignancies or premalignant changes of the colon or cervix are treated or prevented by administering an effective amount of an Antagonist Therapeutic, e.g., a Delta derivative, that antagonizes Notch function. The presence of increased Notch expression in colon, and cervical cancer suggests that many more cancerous and hyperproliferative conditions exhibit upregulated Notch. Thus, in specific embodiments, various cancers, e.g., breast cancer, squamous adenocarcinoma, seminoma, melanoma, and lung cancer, and premalignant changes therein, as well as other hyperpro:Liferative disorders, can be treated or prevented by administration of an Antagonist Therapeutic that antagonizes Notch function.

5.8.2. NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS

Nervous system disorders, involving cell types which can be tested as described supra for efficacy of intervention with Antagonist or Agonist Therapeutics, and which can be treated upon thus observing an indication of therapeutic utility, include but are not limited to nervous system injuries, and diseases or disorders which result in either a disconnection of axons, a diminution or degeneration of neurons, or demyelination. Nervous system lesions which may be treated in a patient (including human and non-human mammalian patients) according to the invention include but are not limited to the following lesions of either the central (including spinal cord, brain) or peripheral nervous systems:

(i) traumatic lesions, including lesions caused by physical injury or associated with surgery, for example, lesions which sever a portion of the nervous system, or compression injuries;

(ii) ischemic lesions, in which a lack of oxygen in a portion of the nervous system results in neuronal injury or death, including cerebral infarction or ischemia, or spinal cord infarction or ischemia;

(iii) malignant lesions, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured by malignant tissue which is either a nervous system associated malignancy or a malignancy derived from non-nervous system tissue;

(iv) infectious lesions, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured as a result of infection, for example, by an abscess or associated with infection by human immunodeficiency virus, herpes zoster, or herpes simplex virus or with Lyme disease, tuberculosis, syphilis;

(v) degenerative lesions, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured as a result of a degenerative process including but not limited to degeneration associated with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's chorea, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;

(vi) lesions associated with nutritional diseases or disorders, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured by a nutritional disorder or disorder of metabolism including but not limited to, vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency, Wernicke disease, tobacco-al.cohol amblyopia, Marchiafava-Bignami disease (primary degeneration of the corpus callosum), and alcoholic cerebellar degeneration;

(vii) neurological lesions associated with systemic diseases including but not limited to diabetes (diabetic neuropathy, Bell's palsy), systemic lupus erythematosus, carcinoma, or sarcoidosis;

(viii) lesions caused by toxic substances including alcohol, lead, or particular neurotoxins; and

(ix) demyelinated lesions in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured by a demyelinating disease including but not limited to multiple sclerosis, human immunodeficiency virus-associated myelopathy, transverse myelopathy or various etiologies, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and central pontine myelinolysis.

Therapeutics which are useful according to the invention for treatment of a nervous system disorder may be selected by testing for biological activity in promoting the survival or differentiation of neurons (see also Section 5.8). For example, and not by way of limitation, Therapeutics which elicit any of the following effects may be useful according to the invention:

(i) increased survival time of neurons in culture;

(ii) increased sprouting of neurons in culture or in vivo;

(iii) increased production of a neuron-associated molecule in culture or in vivo, e.g., choline acetyltransferase or acetylcholinesterase with respect to motor neurons; or

(iv) decreased symptoms of neuron dysfunction in vivo.

Such effects may be measured by any method known in the art. In preferred, non-limiting embodiments, increased survival of neurons may be measured by the method set forth in Arakawa et al. (1990, J. Neurosci. 10:3507-3515); increased sprouting of neurons may be detected by methods set forth in Pestronk et al. (1980, Exp. Neurol. 70:65-82) or Brown et al. (1981, Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 4:17-42); increased production of neuron-associated molecules may be measured by bioassay, enzymatic assay, antibody binding, Northern blot assay, etc., depending on the molecule to be measured; and motor neuron dysfunction may be measured by assessing the physical manifestation of motor neuron disorder, e.g., weakness, motor neuron conduction velocity, or functional disability.

In a specific embodiments, motor neuron disorders that may be treated according to the invention include but are not limited to disorders such as infarction, infection, exposure to toxin, trauma, surgical damage, degenerative disease or malignancy that may affect motor neurons as well as other components of the nervous system, as well as disorders that selectively affect neurons such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and including but not limited to progressive spinal muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis, infantile and juvenile muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar paralysis of childhood (Fazio-Londe syndrome), poliomyelitis and the post polio syndrome, and Hereditary Motorsensory Neuropathy (Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease).

5.8.3. TISSUE REPAIR AND REGENERATION

In another embodiment of the invention, a Therapeutic of the invention is used for promotion of tissue regeneration and repair, including but not limited to treatment of benign dysproliferative disorders. Specific embodiments are directed to treatment of cirrhosis of the liver (a condition in which scarring has overtaken normal liver regeneration processes), treatment of keloid (hypertrophic scar) formation (disfiguring of the skin in which the scarring process interferes with normal renewal), psoriasis (a common skin condition characterized by excessive proliferation of the skin and delay in proper cell fate determination), and baldness (a condition in which terminally differentiated hair follicles (a tissue rich in Notch) fail to function properly). In another embodiment, a Therapeutic of the invention is used to treat degenerative or traumatic disorders of the sensory epithelium of the inner ear.

5.9. PROPHYLACTIC USES 5.9.1. MALIGNANCIES

The Therapeutics of the invention can be administered to prevent progression to a neoplastic or malignant state, including but not limited to those disorders listed in Table 1. Such administration is indicated where the Therapeutic is shown in assays, as described supra, to have utility for treatment or prevention of such disorder. Such prophylactic use is indicated in conditions known or suspected of preceding progression to neoplasia or cancer, in particular, where non-neoplastic cell growth consisting of hyperplasia, metaplasia, or most particularly, dysplasia has occurred (for review of such abnormal growth conditions, see Robbins and Angell, 1976, Basic Pathology, 2d Ed., W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. 68-79.) Hyperplasia is a form of controlled cell proliferation involving an increase in cell number in a tissue or organ, without significant alteration in structure or function. As but one example, endometrial hyperplasia often precedes endometrial cancer. Metaplasia is a form of controlled cell growth in which one type of adult or fully differentiated cell substitutes for another type of adult cell. Metaplasia can occur in epithelial or connective tissue cells. Atypical metaplasia involves a somewhat disorderly metaplastic epithelium. Dysplasia is frequently a forerunner of cancer, and is found mainly in the epithelia; it is the most disorderly form of non-neoplastic cell growth, involving a loss in individual cell uniformity and in the architectural orientation of cells. Dysplastic cells often have abnormally large, deeply stained nuclei, and exhibit pleomorphism. Dysplasia characteristically occurs where there exists chronic irritation or inflammation, and is often found in the cervix, respiratory passages, oral cavity, and gall bladder.

Alternatively or in addition to the presence of abnormal cell growth characterized as hyperplasia, metaplasia, or dysplasia, the presence of one or more characteristics of a transformed phenotype, or of a malignant phenotype, displayed in vivo or displayed in vitro by a cell sample from a patient, can indicate the desirability of prophylactic/therapeutic administration of a Therapeutic of the invention. As mentioned supra, such characteristics of a transformed phenotype include morphology changes, looser substratum attachment, loss of contact inhibition, loss of anchorage dependence, protease release, increased sugar transport, decreased serum requirement, expression of fetal antigens, disappearance of the 250,000 dalton cell surface protein, etc. (see also id., at pp. 84-90 for characteristics associated with a transformed or malignant phenotype).

In a specific embodiment, leukoplakia, a benign-appearing hyperplastic or dysplastic lesion of the epithelium, or Bowen's disease, a carcinoma in situ, are pre-neoplastic lesions indicative of the desirability of prophylactic intervention.

In another embodiment, fibrocystic disease (cystic hyperplasia, mammary dysplasia, particularly adenosis (benign epithelial hyperplasia)) is indicative of the desirability of prophylactic intervention.

In other embodiments, a patient which exhibits one or more of the following predisposing factors for malignancy is treated by administration of an effective amount of a Therapeutic: a chromosomal translocation associated with a malignancy (e.g., the Philadelphia chromosome for chronic myelogenous leukemia, t(14;18) for follicular lymphoma, etc.), familial polyposis or Gardner's syndrome (possible forerunners of colon cancer), benign monoclonal gammopathy (a possible forerunner of multiple myeloma), and a first degree kinship with persons having a cancer or precancerous disease showing a Mendelian (genetic) inheritance pattern (e.g., familial polyposis of the colon, Gardner's syndrome, hereditary exostosis, polyendocrine adenomatosis, medullary thyroid carcinoma with amyloid production and pheochromocytoma, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, neurofibromatosis of Von Recklinghausen, retinoblastoma, carotid body tumor, cutaneous melanocarcinoma, intraocular melanocarcinoma, xeroderma pigmentosum, ataxia telangiectasia, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, albinism, Fanconi's aplastic anemia, and Bloom's syndrome; see Robbins and Angell, 1976, Basic Pathology, 2d Ed., W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, pp. 112-113) etc.)

In another specific embodiment, an Antagonist Therapeutic of the invention is administered to a human patient to prevent progression to breast, colon, or cervical cancer.

5.9.2. OTHER DISORDERS

In other embodiments, a Therapeutic of the invention can be administered to prevent a nervous system disorder described in Section 5.8.2, or other disorder (e.g., liver cirrhosis, psoriasis, keloids, baldness) described in Section 5.8.3.

5.10. DEMONSTRATION OF THERAPEUTIC OR PROPHYLACTIC UTILITY

The Therapeutics of the invention can be tested in vivo for the desired therapeutic or prophylactic activity. For example, such compounds can be tested in suitable animal model systems prior to testing in humans, including but not limited to rats, mice, chicken, cows, monkeys, rabbits, etc. For in vivo testing, prior to administration to humans, any animal model system known in the art may be used.

5.11. ANTISENSE REGULATION OF DELTA EXPRESSION

The present invention provides the therapeutic or prophylactic use of nucleic acids of at least six nucleotides that are antisense to a gene or cDNA encoding Delta or a portion thereof. “Antisense” as used herein refers to a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing to a portion of a Delta RNA (preferably mRNA) by virtue of some sequence complementarity. Such antisense nucleic acids have utility as Antagonist Therapeutics of the invention, and can be used in the treatment or prevention of disorders as described supra in Section 5.8 and its subsections.

The antisense nucleic acids of the invention can be oligonucleotides that are double-stranded or single-stranded, RNA or DNA or a modification or derivative thereof, which can be directly administered to a cell, or which can be produced intracellularly by transcription of exogenous, introduced sequences.

In a specific embodiment, the Delta antisense nucleic acids provided by the instant invention can be used for the treatment of tumors or other disorders, the cells of which tumor type or disorder can be demonstrated (in vitro or in vivo) to express a Delta gene or a Notch gene. Such demonstration can be by detection of RNA or of protein.

The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of the Delta antisense nucleic acids of the invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as described infra in Section 5.12. Methods for treatment and prevention of disorders (such as those described in Sections 5.8 and 5.9) comprising administering the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are also provided.

In another embodiment, the invention is directed to methods for inhibiting the expression of a Delta nucleic acid sequence in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell comprising providing the cell with an effective amount of a composition comprising an antisense Delta nucleic acid of the invention.

Delta antisense nucleic acids and their uses are described in detail below.

5.11.1. DELTA ANTISENSE NUCLEIC ACIDS

The Delta antisense nucleic acids are of at least six nucleotides and are preferably oligonucleotides (ranging from 6 to about 50 oligonucleotides). In specific aspects, the oligonucleotide is at least 10 nucleotides, at least 15 nucleotides, at least 100 nucleotides, or at least 200 nucleotides. The oligonucleotides can be DNA or RNA or chimeric mixtures or derivatives or modified versions thereof, single-stranded or double-stranded. The oligonucleotide can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety, or phosphate backbone. The oligonucleotide may include other appending groups such as peptides, or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86:6553-6556; Lemaitre et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:648-652; PCT Publication No. WO 88/09810, published December 15, 1988) or blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 89/10134, published Apr. 25, 1988), hybridization-triggered cleavage agents (see, e.g., Krol et al., 1988, BioTechniques 6:958-976) or intercalating agents (see, e.g., Zon, 1988, Pharm. Res. 5:539-549).

In a preferred aspect of the invention, a Delta antisense oligonucleotide is provided, preferably of single-stranded DNA. In a most preferred aspect, such an oligonucleotide comprises a sequence antisense to the sequence encoding an SH3 binding domain or a Notch-binding domain of Delta, most preferably, of human Delta. The oligonucleotide may be modified at any position on its structure with substituents generally known in the art.

The Delta antisense oligonucleotide may comprise at least one modified base moiety which is selected from the group including but not limited to 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-:iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1-methylguanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannosylqueosine, 5′-methoxycarboxymethyluracil, 5-methoxyuracil, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyladenine, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), wybutoxosine, pseudouracil, queosine, 2-thiocytosine, 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 5-methyluracil, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid methylester, uracil-5-oxyacetic acid (v), 5-methyl-2-thiouracil, 3-(3-amino-3-N-2-carboxypropyl) uracil, (acp3)w, and 2,6-diaminopurine.

In another embodiment, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified sugar moiety selected from the group including but not limited to arabinose, 2-fluoroarabinose, xylulose, and hexose.

In yet another embodiment, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified phosphate backbone selected from the group consisting of a phosphorothioate, a phosphorodithioate, a phosphoramidothioate, a phosphoramidate, a phosphordiamidate, a methylphosphonate, an alkyl phosphotriester, and a formacetal or analog thereof.

In yet another embodiment, the oligonucleotide is an α-anomeric oligonucleotide. An α-anomeric oligonucleotide forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual β-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gautier et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:6625-6641).

The oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, hybridization-triggered cleavage agent, etc.

Oligonucleotides of the invention may be synthesized by standard methods known in the art, e.g. by use of an automated DNA synthesizer (such as are commercially available from Biosearch, Applied Biosystems, etc.). As examples, phosphorothioate oligonucleotides may be synthesized by the method of Stein et al. (1988, Nucl. Acids Res. 16:3209), methylphosphonate oligonucleotides can be prepared by use of controlled pore glass polymer supports (Sarin et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85:7448-7451), etc.

In a specific embodiment, the Delta antisense oligonucleotide comprises catalytic RNA, or a ribozyme (see, e.g., PCT International Publication WO 90/11364, published Oct. 4, 1990; Sarver et al., 1990, Science 247:1222-1225).

In another embodiment, the oligonucleotide is a 2′-0-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:6131-6148), or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al., 1987, FEBS Lett. 215:327-330).

In an alternative embodiment, the Delta antisense nucleic acid of the invention is produced intracellularly by transcription from an exogenous sequence. For example, a vector can be introduced in vivo such that it is taken up by a cell, within which cell the vector or a portion thereof is transcribed, producing an antisense nucleic acid (RNA) of the invention. Such a vector would contain a sequence encoding the Delta antisense nucleic acid. Such a vector can remain episomal or become chromosomally integrated, as long as it can be transcribed to produce the desired antisense RNA. Such vectors can be constructed by recombinant DNA technology methods standard in the art. Vectors can be plasmid, viral, or others known in the art, used for replication and expression in mammalian cells. Expression of the sequence encoding the Delta antisense RNA can be by any promoter known in the art to act in mammalian, preferably human, cells. Such promoters can be inducible or constitutive. Such promoters include but are not limited to: the SV40 early promoter region (Bernoist and Chambon, 1981, Nature 290:304-310), the promoter contained in the 3′ long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto et al., 1980, Cell 22:787-797), the herpes thymidine kinase promoter (Wagner et al., 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78:1441-1445), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., 1982, Nature 296:39-42), etc.

The antisense nucleic acids of the invention comprise a sequence complementary to at least a portion of an RNA transcript of a Delta gene, preferably a human Delta gene. However, absolute complementarity, although preferred, is not required. A sequence “complementary to at least a portion of an RNA,” as referred to herein, means a sequence having sufficient complementarity to be able to hybridize with the RNA, forming a stable duplex; in the case of double-stranded Delta antisense nucleic acids, a single strand of the duplex DNA may thus be tested, or triplex formation may be assayed. The ability to hybridize will depend on both the degree of complementarity and the length of the antisense nucleic acid. Generally, the longer the hybridizing nucleic acid, the more base mismatches with a Delta RNA it may contain and still form a stable duplex (or triplex, as the case may be). One skilled in the art can ascertain a tolerable degree of mismatch by use of standard procedures to determine the melting point of the hybridized complex.

5.11.2. THERAPEUTIC UTILITY OF DELTA ANTISENSE NUCLEIC ACIDS

The Delta antisense nucleic acids can be used to treat (or prevent) malignancies or other disorders, of a cell type which has been shown to express Delta or Notch. In specific embodiments, the malignancy is cervical, breast, or colon cancer, or squamous adenocarcinoma. Malignant, neoplastic, and pte-neoplastic cells which can be tested for such expression include but are not limited to those described supra in Sections 5.8.1 and 5.9.1. In a preferred embodiment, a single-stranded DNA antisense Delta oligonucleotide is used.

Malignant (particularly, tumor) cell types which express Delta or Notch RNA can be identified by various methods known in the art. Such methods include but are not limited to hybridization with a Delta or Notch-specific nucleic acid (e.g. by Northern hybridization, dot blot hybridization, in situ hybridization), observing the ability of RNA from the cell type to be translated in vitro into Notch or Delta, immunoassay, etc. In a preferred aspect, primary tumor tissue from a patient can be assayed for Notch or Delta expression prior to treatment, e.g., by immunocytochemistry or in situ hybridization.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention (see Section 5.12), comprising an effective amount of a Delta antisense nucleic acid in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, can be administered to a patient having a malignancy which is of a type that expresses Notch or Delta RNA or protein.

The amount of Delta antisense nucleic acid which will be effective in the treatment of a particular disorder or condition will depend on the nature of the disorder or condition, and can be determined by standard clinical techniques. Where possible, it is desirable to determine the antisense cytotoxicity of the tumor type to be treated in vitro, and then in useful animal model systems prior to testing and use in humans.

In a specific embodiment, pharmaceutical compositions comprising Delta antisense nucleic acids are administered via liposomes, microparticles, or microcapsules. In various embodiments of the invention, it may be useful to use such compositions to achieve sustained release of the Delta antisense nucleic acids. In a specific embodiment, it may be desirable to utilize liposomes targeted via antibodies to specific identifiable tumor antigens (Leonetti et al., 1990, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87:2448-2451; Renneisen et al., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265:16337-16342).

5.12. THERAPEUTIC/PROPHYLACTIC ADMINISTRATION AND COMPOSITIONS

The invention provides methods of treatment (and prophylaxis) by administration to a subject of an effective amount of a Therapeutic of the invention. In a preferred aspect, the Therapeutic is substantially purified. The subject is preferably an animal, including but not limited to animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, etc., and is preferably a mammal, and most preferably human.

Various delivery systems are known and can be used to administer a Therapeutic of the invention, e.g., encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, microcapsules, expression by recombinant cells, receptor-mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu and Wu, 1987, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432), construction of a Therapeutic nucleic acid as part of a retroviral or other vector, etc. Methods of introduction include but are not limited to intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes. The compounds may be administered by any convenient route, for example by infusion or bolus injection, by absorption through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (e.g., oral mucosa, rectal and intestinal mucosa, etc.) and may be administered together with other biologically active agents. Administration can be systemic or local. In addition, it may be desirable to introduce the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention into the central nervous system by any suitable route, including intraventricular and intrathecal injection; intraventricular injection may be facilitated by an intraventricular catheter, for example, attached to a reservoir, such as an Ommaya reservoir. Pulmonary administration can also be employed, e.g., by use of an inhaler or nebulizer, and formulation with an aerosolizing agent.

In a specific embodiment:, it may be desirable to administer the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention locally to the area in need of treatment; this may be achieved by, for example, and not by way of limitation, local infusion during surgery, topical application, e.g., in conjunction with a wound dressing after surgery, by injection, by means of a catheter, by means of a suppository, or by means of an implant, said implant being of a porous, non-porous, or gelatinous material, including membranes, such as sialastic membranes, or fibers. In one embodiment, administration can be by direct injection at the site (or former site) of a malignant tumor or neoplastic or pre-neoplastic tissue.

In another embodiment, the Therapeutic can be delivered in a vesicle, in particular a liposome (see Langer, Science 249:1527-1533 (1990); Treat et al., in Liposomes in the Therapy of Infectious Disease and Cancer, Lopez-Berestein and Fidler (eds.), Liss, New York, pp. 353-365 (1989); Lopez-Berestein, ibid., pp. 317-327; see generally ibid.) In yet another embodiment, the Therapeutic can be delivered in a controlled release system. In one embodiment, a pump may be used (see Langer, supra; Sefton, CRC Crit. Ref. Biomed. Eng. 14:201 (1987); Buchwald et al., Surgery 88:507 (1980); Saudek et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 321:574 (1989)). In another embodiment, polymeric materials can be used (see Medical Applications of Controlled Release, Langer and Wise (eds.), CRC Pres., Boca Raton, Fla. (1974); Controlled Drug Bioavailability, Drug Product Design and Performance, Smolen and Ball (eds.), Wiley, New York (1984); Ranger and Peppas, J. Macromol. Sci. Rev. Macromol. Chem. 23:61 (1983); see also Levy et al., Science 228:190 (1985); During et al., Ann. Neurol. 25:351 (1989); Howard et al., J. Neurosurg. 71:105 (1989)). In yet another embodiment, a controlled release system can be placed in proximity of the therapeutic target, i.e., the brain, thus requiring only a fraction of the systemic dose (see, e.g., Goodson, in Medical Applications of Controlled Release, supra, vol. 2, pp. 115-138 (1984)).

Other controlled release systems are discussed in the review by Langer (Science 249:1527-1533 (1990)).

In a specific embodiment where the Therapeutic is a nucleic acid encoding a protein Therapeutic, the nucleic acid can be administered in vivo to promote expression of its encoded protein, by constructing it as part of an appropriate nucleic acid expression vector and administering it so that it becomes intracellular, e.g., by use of a retroviral vector (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,286), or by direct injection, or by use of microparticle bombardment (e.g., a gene gun; Biolistic, Dupont), or coating with lipids or cell-surface receptors or transfecting agents, or by administering it in linkage to a homeobox-like peptide which is known to enter the nucleus (see e.g., Joliot et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:1864-1868), etc. Alternatively, a nucleic acid Therapeutic can be introduced intracellularly and incorporated within host cell DNA for expression, by homologous recombination.

In specific embodiments directed to treatment or prevention of particular disorders, preferably the following forms of administration are used:

Preferred Forms of Disorder Administration Cervical cancer Topical Gastrointestinal cancer Oral; intravenous Lung cancer Inhaled; intravenous Leukemia Intravenous; extracorporeal Metastatic carcinomas Intravenous; oral Brain cancer Targeted; intravenous; intrathecal Liver cirrhosis Oral; intravenous Psoriasis Topical Keloids Topical Baldness Topical Spinal cord injury Targeted; intravenous; intrathecal Parkinson's disease Targeted; intravenous; intrathecal Motor neuron disease Targeted; intravenous; intrathecal Alzheimer's disease Targeted; intravenous; intrathecal

The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions. Such compositions comprise a therapeutically effective amount of a Therapeutic, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In a specific embodiment, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable” means approved by a regulatory agency of the Federal or a state government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia or other generally recognized pharmacopeia for use in animals, and more particularly in humans. The term “carrier” refers to a diluent, adjuvant, excipient, or vehicle with which the therapeutic is administered. Such pharmaceutical carriers can be sterile liquids, such as water and oils, including those of petroleum, animal, vegetable or synthetic origin, such as peanut oil, soybean oil, mineral oil, sesame oil and the like. Water is a preferred carrier when the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously. Saline solutions and aqueous dextrose and glycerol solutions can also be employed as liquid carriers, particularly for injectable solutions. Suitable pharmaceutical excipients include starch, glucose, lactose, sucrose, gelatin, malt, rice, flour, chalk, silica gel, sodium stearate, glycerol monostearate, talc, sodium chloride, dried skim milk, glycerol, propylene, glycol, water, ethanol and the like. The composition, if desired, can also contain minor amounts of wetting or emulsifying agents, or pH buffering agents. These compositions can take the form of solutions, suspensions, emulsion, tablets, pills, capsules, powders, sustained-release formulations and the like. The composition can be formulated as a suppository, with traditional binders and carriers such as triglycerides. Oral formulation can include standard carriers such as pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, cellulose, magnesium carbonate, etc. Examples of suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in “Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences” by E. W. Martin. Such compositions will contain a therapeutically effective amount of the Therapeutic, preferably in purified form, together with a suitable amount of carrier so as to provide the form for proper administration to the patient. The formulation should suit the mode of administration.

In a preferred embodiment, the composition is formulated in accordance with routine procedures as a pharmaceutical composition adapted for intravenous administration to human beings. Typically, compositions for intravenous administration are solutions in sterile isotonic aqueous buffer. Where necessary, the composition may also include a solubilizing agent and a local anesthetic such as lignocaine to ease pain at the site of the injection. Generally, the ingredients are supplied either separately or mixed together in unit dosage form, for example, as a dry lyophilized powder or water free concentrate in a hermetically sealed container such as an ampoule or sachette indicating the quantity of active agent. Where the composition is to be administered by infusion, it can be dispensed with an infusion bottle containing sterile pharmaceutical grade water or saline. Where the composition is administered by injection, an ampoule of sterile water for injection or saline can be provided so that the ingredients may be mixed prior to administration.

The Therapeutics of the invention can be formulated as neutral or salt forms. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts include those formed with free amino groups such as those derived from hydrochloric, phosphoric, acetic, oxalic, tartaric acids, etc., and those formed with free carboxyl groups such as those derived from sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, ferric hydroxides, isopropylamine, triethylamine, 2-ethylamino ethanol, histidine, procaine, etc.

The amount of the Therapeutic of the invention which will be effective in the treatment of a particular disorder or condition will depend on the nature of the disorder or condition, and can be determined by standard clinical techniques. In addition, in vitro assays may optionally be employed to help identify optimal dosage ranges. The precise dose to be employed in the formulation will also depend on the route of administration, and the seriousness of the disease or disorder, and should be decided according to the judgment of the practitioner and each patient's circumstances. However, suitable dosage ranges for intravenous administration are generally about 20-500 micrograms of active compound per kilogram body weight. Suitable dosage ranges for intranasal administration are generally about 0.01 pg/kg body weight to 1 mg/kg body weight. Effective doses may be extrapolated from dose-response curves derived from in vitro or animal model test systems.

Suppositories generally contain active ingredient in the range of 0.5% to 10% by weight; oral formulations preferably contain 10% to 95% active ingredient.

The invention also provides a pharmaceutical pack or kit comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention. Optionally associated with such container(s) can be a notice in the form prescribed by a governmental agency regulating the manufacture, use or sale of pharmaceuticals or biological products, which notice reflects approval by the agency of manufacture, use or sale for human administration.

5.13. DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY

Delta proteins, analogues, derivatives, and subsequences thereof, Delta nucleic acids (and sequences complementary thereto), anti-Delta antibodies, have uses in diagnostics. Such molecules can be used in assays, such as immunoassays, to detect, prognose, diagnose, or monitor various conditions, diseases, and disorders affecting Delta expression, or monitor the treatment thereof. In particular, such an immunoassay is carried out by a method comprising contacting a sample derived from a patient with an anti-Delta antibody under conditions such that immunospecific binding can occur, and detecting or measuring the amount of any immunospecific binding by the antibody. In a specific aspect, such binding of antibody, in tissue sections, preferably in conjunction with binding of anti-Notch antibody can be used to detect aberrant Notch and/or Delta localization or aberrant levels of Notch-Delta colocalization in a disease state. In a specific embodiment, antibody to Delta can be used to assay in a patient tissue or serum sample for the presence of Delta where an aberrant level of Delta is an indication of a diseased condition. Aberrant levels of Delta binding ability in an endogenous Notch protein, or aberrant levels of binding ability to Notch (or other Delta ligand) in an endogenous Delta protein may be indicative of a disorder of cell fate (e.g., cancer, etc.) By “aberrant levels,” is meant increased or decreased levels relative to that present, or a standard level representing that present, in an analogous sample from a portion of the body or from a subject not having the disorder.

The immunoassays which can be used include but are not limited to competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as western blots, radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), “sandwich” immunoassays, immunoprecipitation assays, precipitin reactions, gel diffusion precipitin reactions, immunodiffusion assays, agglutination assays, complement-fixation assays, immunoradiometric assays, fluorescent immunoassays, protein A immunoassays, to name but a few.

Delta genes and related nucleic acid sequences and subsequences, including complementary sequences, and other toporythmic gene sequences, can also be used in hybridization assays. Delta nucleic acid sequences, or subsequences thereof comprising about at least 8 nucleotides, can be used as hybridization probes. Hybridization assays can be used to detect, prognose, diagnose, or monitor conditions, disorders, or disease states associated with aberrant changes in Delta expression and/or activity as described supra. In particular, such a hybridization assay is carried out by a method comprising contacting a sample containing nucleic acid with a nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to Delta DNA or RNA, under conditions such that hybridization can occur, and detecting or measuring any resulting hybridization.

Additionally, since Delta binds to Notch, Delta or a binding portion thereof can be used to assay for the presence and/or amounts of Notch in a sample, e.g., in screening for malignancies which exhibit increased Notch expression such as colon and cervical cancers.

6. A DELTA HOMOLOG IN THE CHICK IS EXPRESSED IN PROSPECTIVE NEURONS

As described herein, we have isolated and characterized a chick Delta homologue, C-Delta-1. We show that C-Delta-1 is expressed in prospective neurons during neurogenesis, as new cells are being born and their fates decided. Our data in the chick, suggest that both the Delta/Notch signalling mechanism and its role in neurogenesis have been conserved in vertebrates.

6.1. CLONING OF C-DELTA-1

We identified a chick Delta homologue, C-Delta-1, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and degenerate oligonucleotide primers (FIGS. 1A1-1A3, 1B1-1B2 and 2, SEQ ID NOS:1, 2, 3 and 4). C-Delta-1was cloned by PCR using the degenerate oligonucleotide primers TTCGGITT(C/T)ACITGGCCIGGIAC (SEQ ID NO:81) and TCIATGCAIGTICCICC(A/G)TT (SEQ ID NO 82) which correspond to the fly Delta protein sequences FGFTWPGT (SEQ ID NO:83) and NGGTCID (SEQ ID NO:84), respectively (Vässin et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:3431-3440; Kopczynski et al., 1988, Genes Dev. 2:1723-1735). The initial reaction used 50 ng of first-strand oligo-d(T)-primed cDNA from stage 4-6 embryos, 1 μg of each primer, 0.2 mM dNTPs, 2U. of Taq polymerase, in 50 μl of the supplied buffer (Perkin-Elmer). 40 cycles of amplification were performed at 94° C./30sec; 50° C./2min; 72° C./2min. Amplified DNA fragments were separated on an agarose gel, cloned in Bluescript pKS⁻ (Stratagene) and sequenced. Two Delta homologs were identified, one of which (C-Delta-1) is expressed in the nervous system. Of the homolog that is expressed in the nervous system, two variants were identified that differ at the carboxy-terminal end of the encoded protein due to an alternative splicing event at the 3′ end of the C-Delta-1 gene. One encoded protein has 12 extra amino acids at the carboxy-terminal end, relative to the other encoded protein. The sequence of the shorter encoded variant is set forth in SEQ ID NO:2. The longer variant encoded by SEQ ID NO:3 and identified by the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 plus twelve additional amino acids at the 3′ end (SIPPGSRTSLGV) (SEQ ID NO:85). The longer variant was used in the experiments described below. When tested for biological activity by injection of RNA into Xenopus oocytes, each of the variants had the same biological activity.

DNA fragments corresponding to C-Delta-1 were used to screen a stage 17 spinal cord cDNA library and several full-length clones were obtained and sequenced. We amplified DNA fragments from chick C-Notch-1 gene by similar methods (data not shown); partial sequence data and pattern of expression indicate close similarity to the rodent Notch-1 gene (Weinmaster et al., 1991, Development 113:199-205; Weinmaster et al., 1992, Development 116:931-941; Lardelli & Lendahl, 1993, Exp. Cell Res. 204::364-372). Sequences were analyzed using the Wisconsin GCG set of programs. The GenBank Accession number for the Chick Delta-1 mRNA is U26590. The DNA sequence of C-Delta-1 corresponds to a protein of 722 amino acids, structurally homologous to Drosophila Delta (FIGS. 3A-3B, 4) and clearly distinct from vertebrate homologs of the Delta-related Serrate protein, which we have also cloned (data not shown). C-Delta-1 contains a putative transmembrane domain, a signal sequence and 8 EGF-like repeats in its extracellular region (one repeat less than Drosophila Delta). The amino-terminal domain of C-Delta-1 is closely related to a similar domain in the fly Delta protein, described as necessary and sufficient for in vitro binding to Notch (Muskavitch, 1994, Dev. Biol. 166:415-430). This conserved region includes the so-called DSL motif (FIG. 4) (Henderson et al., 1994, Development 120:2913-2924; Tax et al., 1994, Nature 368:150-154), shared by all known members of the family of presumed ligands of Notch-like proteins (Delta and Serrate in Drosophila; Lag-2 and Apx-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans) (Henderson et al., 1994, Development 120:2913-2924; Tax et al., 1994, Nature 368:150-154; Fleming et al., 1990, Genes Dev. 4:2188-2201; Thomas et al., 1991, Development 111:749-761; Mello et al., 1994, Cell 77:95-106). A second cysteine-rich N-terminal region is conserved between the fly and chick proteins, but absent from the related C. elegans proteins (FIG. 4). The Xenopus Delta-i homologue, X-Delta-1 which encodes a protein that is 81% identical to C-Delta-l and shows all the above structural motifs (FIGS. 3A-3B), has also been cloned. The structural conservation between the chick and fly Delta proteins, including domains identified as critical for Notch binding (Muskavitch, 1994, Dev. Biol. 166:415-430), suggests that C-Delta-1 functions as a ligand for a chick Notch protein, and that a Delta/Notch-mediated mechanism of lateral inhibition might operate in the chick.

6.2. C-DELTA-1 AND C-NOTCH-1 EXPRESSION CORRELATES WITH ONSET OF NEUROGENESIS

During Drosophila neurogenesis, Delta is transiently expressed in neural precursors, inhibiting neighboring Notch-expressing cells from also becoming neural (Haenlin et al., 1990, Development 110:905-914; Kooh et al., 1993, Development 117:493-507). If C-Delta-1 acts similarly during chick neurogenesis, it should also be transiently expressed in neuronal precursor cells, while these are becoming determined. An analysis of C-Delta-1 expression in the developing CNS indicates that this is indeed the case.

In summary, wholemount in situ hybridization was performed. Formaldehyde fixed embryos were treated with protease and refixed with 4% formaldehyde/0.1% glutaraldehyde. Hybridization with DIG-labelled RNA probes was performed under stringent conditions (1.3×SSC, 50% formamide, 65° C., pH5) in a buffer containing 0.2% Tween-20 and 0.5% CHAPS. Washed embryos were treated with Boehringer Blocking Reagent and incubated overnight in alkaline phosphatase-coupled anti-DIG antibody. After extensive washes, embryos were stained from 30min to overnight. The embryo in FIG. 5e was wax-sectioned after hybridization.

C-Delta-1 expression in the neural plate is first detected at stage 6-7 (31 h, 0/1 somite), in scattered cells just anterior to the presomitic mesoderm (FIGS. 5b, 5 c). This region gives rise to the mid/posterior hindbrain, where the earliest differentiated CNS neurons are first detected by a neurofilament antibody at stage 9 (31 h, 7-9 somites) (Sechrist & Bronner-Fraser, 1991, Neuron 7:947-963), 6 h after the initial C-Delta-1 expression (Table 2).

TABLE 2 Hamburger-Hamilton Stage (nominal age in h; somite nos.) Initial Neural tube End final C-Delta-1 Initial NF domains S-phase expression expression Mid/posterior 4 6 9 Hindbrain (19 h; 0)  (24 h; 0)  (31 h; 7-9)  Spinal cord, 6 8 10 somites 5-8 (24 h; 0)  (28 h; 4-6) (36 h; 10-12) Forebrain/ 7 8 10  Midbrain (25 h; 1-3) (28 h; 4-6) (36 h; 10-12) Spinal cord, 8 9 11  somites 9-12 (28 h; 4-6) (31 h; 7-9) (43 h; 13-15)

As neurogenesis proceeds, expression of C-Delta-1 continues to foreshadow the spatio-temporal pattern of neuronal differentiation (Table 2), spreading posteriorly along the spinal cord and anteriorly into the midbrain and forebrain (FIGS. 5d, 5 e). For example, the most posterior expressing cells in the stage 8 spinal cord are at the level of the prospective 6th somite, 6-8 h before the first neurons at that level express neurofilament antigen (Sechrist & Bronner-Fraser, 1991, Neuron 7:947-963) (Table 2). Table 2 shows that the appearance of C-Delta-1 expression closely follows the withdrawal of the first neuronal precursors from the division cycle and precedes the appearance of neurofilament (NF) antigen in the resultant differentiating neurons. Mid-hindbrain comprises rhombomeres 4-6, the level of the otic primordium; posterior hindbrain includes rhombomeres 7 and 8, and somites 1-4. Data for the timing of withdrawal from cell-division and for neurofilament expression are taken from Sechrist et al., 1991, Neuron 35 7:947-963. In all cases, C-Delta-1 is expressed in scattered cells within domains of uniform C-Notch-1 expression (FIG. 5a).

6.3. LOCALIZATION AND TIME-COURSE EXPRESSION OF C-DELTA-1

The localization and time-course of C-Delta-1 expression indicate that the gene is switched on at an early step in neurogenesis, and that the cells expressing C-Delta-1 are prospective neurons that have not yet begun to display differentiation markers. To test this hypothesis, we made use of the observations of Sechrist and Bronner-Fraser (Sechrist & Bronner-Fraser, 1991, Neuron 7:947-963) that prospective neurons are the only non-cycling cells in the early neural tube. They finish their final S phase 11-15 h before expressing neurofilament antigen (Table 2) and their nuclei, after completing a last mitosis, adopt a characteristic location near the basal surface of the neuroepithelium, where all the other cell nuclei are in S-phase (Sechrist & Bronner-Fraser, 1991, Neuron 7:947-963; Martin & Langman, 1965, J. Embryol. Exp. Morphol. 14:23-35) (FIG. 6a). We labelled stage 7-9 embryos with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), and double-stained for BrdU incorporation and C-Delta-1 expression. 95% of the C-Delta-1-expressing cells were unlabelled, with their nuclei predominantly located near the basal surface, where most other nuclei were BrdU-labelled (FIGS. 6b, 6 c). 75 μl 0.1 mM BrdU in PBS was dropped onto stage 7-9 embryos which were incubated at 38° C. for 2-4 h before fixation for in situ hybridization. 15 μm cryostat sections were hybridized with DIG-labelled RNA probes, essentially according to the method of Strähle et al. (Strähle et al., 1994, Trends In Genet. Sci. 10:75-76). After staining, slides were washed in PBS, and processed for BrdU immunodetection (Biffo et al., 1992, Histochem. Cytochem. 40:535-540). Anti-BrdU (1:1000; Sigma) was detected using FITC-coupled goat anti-mouse secondary antibody (Cappel). C-Delta-1 expression was examined by DIC microscopy, and BrdU-labelling by conventional and confocal fluorescence microscopy. These results imply that C-Delta-1 is expressed in cells that have withdrawn from the cell cycle and must indeed be prospective neurons. The few BrdU⁺/C-Delta-1⁺ cells have their nuclei outside the basal zone; these may be cells that finished their final S-phase soon after exposure to BrdU, moved apically to complete their final mitosis, and switched on C-Delta-1 expression. C-Delta-1 is also expressed in the later neural tube and peripheral nervous system. Again, the timing of expression and the location of the expressing cells imply that they are neuronal precursors that have not yet begun to differentiate (data not shown). Thus, C-Delta-1 expression appears to be the earliest known marker for prospective neurons.

In addition, the transcription pattern of both C-Delta-1 and C-Serrate-1 overlap that of C-Notch-1 in many regions of the embryo (data not shown) which suggest that C-Notch-1, like Notch in Drosophila, is a receptor for both proteins. In particular, all three genes are expressed in the neurogenic region of the developing central nervous system, and here a striking relationship is seen: the expression of both C-Serrate-1 and C-Delta-1 is confined to the domain of C-Notch-1 expression; but within this domain, the regions of C-Serrate-1 and C-Delta-1 are precisely complementary. The overlapping expression patterns suggest conservation of their functional relationship with Notch and imply that development of the chick and in particular the central nervous system involves the concerted interaction of C-Notch-1 with different ligands at different locations.

6.4. DISCUSSION

The Xenopus homolog of C-Delta-1 has been cloned in a similar manner. In brief, a PCR fragment of X-Delta-1 was isolated and sequenced. This fragment was then used to identify the full length clone of X-Delta-1. The X-Delta-1 expression pattern was studied. It was shown that X-Delta-1 is expressed in scattered cells in the domain of the neural plate where primary neuronal precursors are being generated, suggesting that the cells expressing X-Delta-1 are the prospective primary neurons. In addition, X-Delta-1 is also expressed at other sites and times of neurogenesis, including the anterior neural plate and neurogenic placodes and later stages of neural tube development when secondary neurons are generated. Ectopic X-Delta-1 activity inhibited production of primary neurons; interference with endogenous X-Delta-1 activity resulted in overproduction of primary neurons. These results show that X-Delta-1 mediates lateral inhibition delivered by prospective neurons to adjacent cells. It was shown that ectopic expression of X-Delta-1 in Xenopus eggs suppresses primary neurogenesis, and that ectopic expression of a truncated X-Delta-1 protein which retains only two amino acids of the cytoplasmic domain interferes with endogenous signalling and leads to extra cells developing as neuronal precursors. (Chitnis et al., Nature (in press). Preliminary evidence indicates that C-Delta-1 has a similar inhibitory action when expressed in Xenopus embryos (data not shown). We propose that C-Delta-1, like its Drosophila and Xenopus counterparts, mediates lateral inhibition throughout neurogenesis to restrict the proportion of cells that, at any time, become committed to a neural fate. C-Delta-1 is generally expressed during neurogenesis in many other sites, in both the CNS and PNS, and, for example, the developing ear. It has been shown in the CNS that C-Notch is expressed in the ventricular zone of the E5 chick hindbrain, in dividing cells adjacent to the lumen of the neural tube. C-Delta-1 is expressed in the adjacent layer of cells, which have stopped dividing and are becoming committed as neuronal precursor cells. Thus, Delta/Notch signalling could act here, as in other neural tissues, to maintain a population of uncommitted cycling neuronal stem cells.

7. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MOUSE DELTA HOMOLOG

A mouse Delta homolog, termed M-Delta-1, was isolated as follows:

Mouse Delta-i gene

Tissue Origin: 8.5 and 9.5-day mouse embryonic RNA

Isolation Method:

a) random primed cDNA against above RNA

b) PCR of above cDNA using

PCR primer 1: GGITTCACITGGCCIGGIACNTT (SEQ ID NO:86) [encoding GFTWPGTF (SEQ ID NO:94), a region which is specific: for Delta-, not Serrate-like proteins]

PCR primer 2: GTICCICC(G/A)TT(C/T)TT(G/A)CAIGG(G/A)TT (SEQ ID NO:87) [encoding NPCKNGGT (SEQ ID NO:88), a sequence present in many of the EGF-like repeats]

Amplification conditions: 50 ng cDNA, 1 μg each primer, 0.2 mM dNTP's, 1.8 U Taq (Perkin-Elmer) in 50 μl of supplied buffer. 40 cycles of: 94° C./30 sec, 45° C./2 min, 72° C./1 min extended by 2 sec each cycle.

The amplified fragment was an approximately 650 base pair fragment which was partially sequenced to determine its relationship to C-Delta-1.

c) a mouse 11.5 day cDNA library (Clontech) was screened. Of several positive clones, one (pMDL2; insert size approximately 4 kb) included the complete protein-coding region whose DNA sequence was completely determined.

FIGS. 7A-7B (SEQ ID NO:11) show the nucleotide sequence of the isolated clone containing M-Delta-1 DNA.

FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12) shows the predicted amino acid sequence of M-Delta-1.

FIGS. 9A-9B show an and amino acid alignment of the predicted amino acid sequences for M-Delta-1 and C-Delta-1. Identical amino acids are boxed showing the extensive sequence homology. The consensus sequence is shown below (SEQ ID NO:13).

Expression pattern: The expression pattern was determined to be essentially the same as that observed for C-Delta-1, in particular, in the presomitic mesoderm, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and kidney.

8. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A HUMAN DELTA HOMOLOG

A human Delta-1 homolog, termed H-Delta-1 (HD1), was isolated as follows:

A human genomic library with inserts ranging in size from 100-150 kb was probed with an EcoRI fragment of the mouse Delta-i (M-Delta-1) gene. From the library a genomic human PAC clone was isolated which hybridized to the EcoRI fragment. Next, two degenerate oligonucleotides were used to amplify by PCR a fragment of the genomic human PAC clone. The degenerate oligos were:

5′ ACIATGAA(C/T)AA(C/T)CTIGCIAA(C/T)TG (SEQ ID NO:89) and

3′ AC(A/G)TAIACIGA(C/T)TG(A/G)TA(C/T)TTIGT (SEQ ID NO:91) or

3′ GC(A/G/T)ATIAC(A/G)CA(C/T)TC(A/G)TC(C/T)TT(C/T)TC (SEQ ID NO:93).

On the basis of the cDNA sequences for chicken and mouse Delta-1, it was expected that fragments of approximately 354 and 387 base pairs would be isolated, using the 5′ and the two different 3′ oligos, respectively. In fact, however, two single isolates of 525 base pairs and another that was 30 base pairs smaller, as expected, were obtained. The larger isolate was sequenced by dideoxy sequencing. The nucleotide sequence is shown in FIGS. 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO:14). Also shown in FIGS. 10A-10B are the predicted amino acid sequences of the amplified DNA fragment (SEQ ID NOS:15-22) for the three different readings frames. Due to sequencing errors, the full uninterrupted sequence between both primers was not identified. As a consequence, one cannot predict the amino acid sequence directly from the DNA sequence obtained. However, FIG. 11 shows the amino acid sequence homology between human Delta-1 (top line) (SEQ ID NO:23) and chick Delta-1 (bottom line) as determined by eye. Because of the sequencing errors, the homology was obtained by switching amongst the three different reading frames to identify the homologous regions.

Using the larger isolate (SEQ ID NO:14) as probe, a human fetal brain plasmid library (Clontech) was screened in an attempt to isolate full-length H-Delta-1 (HD1) genes. This yielded four positive plaques. Two of these positives (HD13 and HD124) survived rescreening and reacted positively with a large human genomic fragment on a Southern Blot. These positive clones were subcloned by digesting with EcoRI and ligating the fragments into a Bluescript KS⁻ vector. The nucleotide sequences of the inserts were obtained by dideoxy sequencing using T3 and T7 primers. The results showed that HD124 was homologous to chicken Delta-1 at both ends; however, one end of HD13 showed no homology. Restriction digestions with a panel of enzymes showed very similar patterns between the two clones, each of which had an insert of about 2 kb, but with differences at the 3′ end of HD13.

HD13 and HD124 were cut with BstXI, XbaI, HindIII and XhoI and the restriction fragments were inserted into Bluescript KS⁻, and then sequenced as described above to obtain internal sequence. The sequence that was obtained represents the 3′ about 2000 bases of HD1, extending into the 3′ non-coding region. HDl3 is contained within HD124; however, the added sequence at the 5′ end of HD13 is likely due to a cloning artifact.

Since the sequence thus obtained did not contain the 5′ end of HD1, HD124 was used as a probe for subsequent hybridizations in a T cell library and in another fetal brain library (Lambda-Zap, Stratagene). A screen of the T cell library resulted in no positives. However, screening the Lambda-Zap library resulted in two positive clones, HDl13 and HDl18. These clones were inserted into a Bluescript KS⁻ vector using EcoRI as described above. The inserts were digested with a panel of restriction enzymes for comparison with HD13 and HD124, and the 5′ and 3′ ends were sequenced using T3 and T7 primers. HD113 was determined to be only a small piece of cDNA that when sequenced showed no homology to any known Delta. However, HDl18 was 3 kb in length, and included the entire sequence of HD124 with additional 5′ sequences. A set of clones were isolated using nested deletions from HDl18; these clones were then subjected to dideoxy sequencing using an automated sequencer. FIGS. 12A1-12A3 present the partial nucleotide contig sequence (SEQ ID NO:26) of human Delta obtained from clone HDl18. Due to sequencing errors, the full uninterrupted nucleotide sequence of human Delta was not determined. FIGS. 12B1-12B6 show the partial nucleotide contig sequence (SEQ ID NO:26) of human Delta (top line), with the predicted amino acid sequence in three different reading frames presented below, the second line being reading frame 1 (SEQ ID NO:27-42), the third line being reading frame 2 (SEQ ID NOS:43-47), and the fourth line being reading frame 3 (SEQ ID NOS:48-64.

Sequence homology was determined by eye using the mouse Delta-1 amino acid sequence. The sequences with the greatest degree of homology to the mouse amino acid sequence are boxed in FIGS. 12B1-12B6, and represent the predicted amino acid sequence of human Delta-1. The composite resulting amino acid sequence is shown in FIGS. 14A-14B. (In FIGS. 14A-14B, the various uninterrupted portions of the human Delta sequence are assigned respectively, SEQ ID NOS:65-80 through Note that due to sequencing errors, the reading frame with the greatest homology is not the same throughout the sequence and shifts at positions where there are errors in the sequence.

Further, the homology determined by eye to chicken and mouse Delta indicates that the amino acid sequence deduced from the determined human Delta nucleotide sequence contains all but about the N-terminal 100-150 amino acids of human Delta-1.

FIGS. 13A-13G present the nucleotide sequence of mouse Delta-1 (top line, SEQ ID NO:4) and the contig nucleotide sequence of human Delta-1 as depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 and 12B1-12B6 (second line, SEQ ID NO:26) and the nucleotide consensus sequence between mouse and human Delta (third line, SEQ ID NO:24).

Using probes containing the human Delta 5′ nucleotide sequences presented in FIGS. 12A1-12A3, cDNA libraries are probed to isolate the 5′ end of the human Delta gene. Primary positive clones are obtained and then confirmed as secondary positives. The secondary positives are purified and grown further. The DNA is then isolated and subcloned for sequencing.

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying figures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Various references are cited herein, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

SEQUENCE LISTING (1) GENERAL INFORMATION: (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 94 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 1: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2508 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Coding Sequence (B) LOCATION: 277...2460 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 1: GAATTCGGCA CGAGGTTTTT TTTTTTTTTT TTCCCCTCTT TTCTTTCTTT TCCTTTTGCC 60 ATCCGAAAGA GCTGTCAGCC GCCGCCGGGC TGCACCTAAA GGCGTCGGTA GGGGGATAAC 120 AGTCAGAGAC CCTCCTGAAA GCAGGAGACG GGACGGTACC CCTCCGGCTC TGCGGGGCGG 180 CTGCGGCCCC TCCGTTCTTT CCCCCTCCCC GAGAGACACT CTTCCTTTCC CCCCACGAAG 240 ACACAGGGGC AGGAACGCGA GCGCTGCCCC TCCGCC ATG GGA GGC CGC TTC CTG 294 Met Gly Gly Arg Phe Leu 1 5 CTG ACG CTC GCC CTC CTC TCG GCG CTG CTG TGC CGC TGC CAG GTT GAC 342 Leu Thr Leu Ala Leu Leu Ser Ala Leu Leu Cys Arg Cys Gln Val Asp 10 15 20 GGC TCC GGG GTG TTC GAG CTG AAG CTG CAG GAG TTT GTC AAC AAG AAG 390 Gly Ser Gly Val Phe Glu Leu Lys Leu Gln Glu Phe Val Asn Lys Lys 25 30 35 GGG CTG CTC AGC AAC CGC AAC TGC TGC CGG GGG GGC GGC CCC GGA GGC 438 Gly Leu Leu Ser Asn Arg Asn Cys Cys Arg Gly Gly Gly Pro Gly Gly 40 45 50 GCC GGG CAG CAG CAG TGC GAC TGC AAG ACC TTC TTC CGC GTC TGC CTG 486 Ala Gly Gln Gln Gln Cys Asp Cys Lys Thr Phe Phe Arg Val Cys Leu 55 60 65 70 AAG CAC TAC CAG GCC AGC GTC TCC CCC GAG CCG CCC TGC ACC TAC GGC 534 Lys His Tyr Gln Ala Ser Val Ser Pro Glu Pro Pro Cys Thr Tyr Gly 75 80 85 AGC GCC ATC ACC CCC GTC CTC GGC GCC AAC TCC TTC AGC GTC CCC GAC 582 Ser Ala Ile Thr Pro Val Leu Gly Ala Asn Ser Phe Ser Val Pro Asp 90 95 100 GGC GCG GGC GGC GCC GAC CCC GCC TTC AGC AAC CCC ATC CGC TTC CCC 630 Gly Ala Gly Gly Ala Asp Pro Ala Phe Ser Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe Pro 105 110 115 TTC GGC TTC ACC TGG CCC GGC ACC TTC TCG CTC ATC ATC GAG GCT CTG 678 Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu 120 125 130 CAC ACC GAC TCC CCC GAC GAC CTC ACC ACA GAA AAC CCC GAG CGC CTC 726 His Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Thr Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu 135 140 145 150 ATC AGC CGC CTG GCC ACC CAG AGG CAC CTG GCG GTG GGC GAG GAG TGG 774 Ile Ser Arg Leu Ala Thr Gln Arg His Leu Ala Val Gly Glu Glu Trp 155 160 165 TCC CAG GAC CTG CAC AGC AGC GGC CGC ACC GAC CTC AAG TAC TCC TAT 822 Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg Thr Asp Leu Lys Tyr Ser Tyr 170 175 180 CGC TTT GTG TGT GAT GAG CAC TAC TAC GGG GAA GGC TGC TCT GTC TTC 870 Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe 185 190 195 TGC CGG CCC CGT GAC GAC CGC TTC GGT CAC TTC ACC TGT GGA GAG CGT 918 Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Arg Phe Gly His Phe Thr Cys Gly Glu Arg 200 205 210 GGC GAG AAG GTC TGC AAC CCA GGC TGG AAG GGC CAG TAC TGC ACT GAG 966 Gly Glu Lys Val Cys Asn Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Gln Tyr Cys Thr Glu 215 220 225 230 CCG ATT TGC TTG CCT GGG TGT GAC GAG CAG CAC GGC TTC TGC GAC AAA 1014 Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Glu Gln His Gly Phe Cys Asp Lys 235 240 245 CCT GGG GAA TGC AAG TGC AGA GTG GGT TGG CAG GGG CGG TAC TGT GAC 1062 Pro Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp 250 255 260 GAG TGC ATC CGA TAC CCA GGC TGC CTG CAC GGT ACC TGT CAG CAG CCA 1110 Glu Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Leu His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro 265 270 275 TGG CAG TGC AAC TGC CAG GAA GGC TGG GGC GGC CTT TTC TGC AAC CAG 1158 Trp Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln 280 285 290 GAC CTG AAC TAC TGC ACT CAC CAC AAG CCA TGC AAG AAT GGT GCC ACA 1206 Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Ala Thr 295 300 305 310 TGC ACC AAC ACC GGT CAG GGG AGC TAC ACT TGT TCT TGC CGA CCT GGG 1254 Cys Thr Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro Gly 315 320 325 TAC ACA GGC TCC AGC TGC GAG ATT GAA ATC AAC GAA TGT GAT GCC AAC 1302 Tyr Thr Gly Ser Ser Cys Glu Ile Glu Ile Asn Glu Cys Asp Ala Asn 330 335 340 CCT TGC AAG AAT GGT GGA AGC TGC ACG GAT CTC GAG AAC AGC TAT TCC 1350 Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Gly Ser Cys Thr Asp Leu Glu Asn Ser Tyr Ser 345 350 355 TGT ACC TGC CCC CCA GGC TTC TAT GGT AAA AAC TGT GAG CTG AGT GCA 1398 Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Asn Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala 360 365 370 ATG ACT TGT GCT GAT GGA CCG TGC TTC AAT GGA GGG CGA TGC ACT GAC 1446 Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys Thr Asp 375 380 385 390 AAC CCT GAT GGT GGA TAC AGC TGC CGC TGC CCA CTG GGT TAT TCT GGG 1494 Asn Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Ser Cys Arg Cys Pro Leu Gly Tyr Ser Gly 395 400 405 TTC AAC TGT GAA AAG AAA ATC GAT TAC TGC AGT TCC AGC CCT TGT GCT 1542 Phe Asn Cys Glu Lys Lys Ile Asp Tyr Cys Ser Ser Ser Pro Cys Ala 410 415 420 AAT GGA GCC CAG TGC GTT GAC CTG GGG AAC TCC TAC ATA TGC CAG TGC 1590 Asn Gly Ala Gln Cys Val Asp Leu Gly Asn Ser Tyr Ile Cys Gln Cys 425 430 435 CAG GCT GGC TTC ACT GGC AGG CAC TGT GAC GAC AAC GTG GAC GAT TGC 1638 Gln Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Arg His Cys Asp Asp Asn Val Asp Asp Cys 440 445 450 GCC TCC TTC CCC TGC GTC AAT GGA GGG ACC TGT CAG GAT GGG GTC AAC 1686 Ala Ser Phe Pro Cys Val Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Gln Asp Gly Val Asn 455 460 465 470 GAC TAC TCC TGC ACC TGC CCC CCG GGA TAC AAC GGG AAG AAC TGC AGC 1734 Asp Tyr Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Asn Gly Lys Asn Cys Ser 475 480 485 ACG CCG GTG AGC AGA TGC GAG CAC AAC CCC TGC CAC AAT GGG GCC ACC 1782 Thr Pro Val Ser Arg Cys Glu His Asn Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr 490 495 500 TGC CAC GAG AGA AGC AAC CGC TAC GTG TGC GAG TGC GCT CGG GGC TAC 1830 Cys His Glu Arg Ser Asn Arg Tyr Val Cys Glu Cys Ala Arg Gly Tyr 505 510 515 GGC GGC CTC AAC TGC CAG TTC CTG CTC CCC GAG CCA CCT CAG GGG CCG 1878 Gly Gly Leu Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu Pro Glu Pro Pro Gln Gly Pro 520 525 530 GTC ATC GTT GAC TTC ACC GAG AAG TAC ACA GAG GGC CAG AAC AGC CAG 1926 Val Ile Val Asp Phe Thr Glu Lys Tyr Thr Glu Gly Gln Asn Ser Gln 535 540 545 550 TTT CCC TGG ATC GCA GTG TGC GCC GGG ATT ATT CTG GTC CTC ATG CTG 1974 Phe Pro Trp Ile Ala Val Cys Ala Gly Ile Ile Leu Val Leu Met Leu 555 560 565 CTG CTG GGT TGC GCC GCC ATC GTC GTC TGC GTC AGG CTG AAG GTG CAG 2022 Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Ile Val Val Cys Val Arg Leu Lys Val Gln 570 575 580 AAG AGG CAC CAC CAG CCC GAG GCC TGC AGG AGT GAA ACG GAG ACC ATG 2070 Lys Arg His His Gln Pro Glu Ala Cys Arg Ser Glu Thr Glu Thr Met 585 590 595 AAC AAC CTG GCG AAC TGC CAG CGC GAG AAG GAC ATC TCC ATC AGC GTC 2118 Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Ile Ser Val 600 605 610 ATC GGT GCC ACT CAG ATT AAA AAC ACA AAT AAG AAA GTA GAC TTT CAC 2166 Ile Gly Ala Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Val Asp Phe His 615 620 625 630 AGC GAT AAC TCC GAT AAA AAC GGC TAC AAA GTT AGA TAC CCA TCA GTG 2214 Ser Asp Asn Ser Asp Lys Asn Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Tyr Pro Ser Val 635 640 645 GAT TAC AAT TTG GTG CAT GAA CTC AAG AAT GAG GAC TCT GTG AAA GAG 2262 Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val His Glu Leu Lys Asn Glu Asp Ser Val Lys Glu 650 655 660 GAG CAT GGC AAA TGC GAA GCC AAG TGT GAA ACG TAT GAT TCA GAG GCA 2310 Glu His Gly Lys Cys Glu Ala Lys Cys Glu Thr Tyr Asp Ser Glu Ala 665 670 675 GAA GAG AAA AGC GCA GTA CAG CTA AAA AGT AGT GAC ACT TCT GAA AGA 2358 Glu Glu Lys Ser Ala Val Gln Leu Lys Ser Ser Asp Thr Ser Glu Arg 680 685 690 AAA CGG CCA GAT TCA GTA TAT TCC ACT TCA AAG GAC ACA AAG TAC CAG 2406 Lys Arg Pro Asp Ser Val Tyr Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln 695 700 705 710 TCG GTG TAC GTC ATA TCA GAA GAG AAA GAT GAG TGC ATC ATA GCA ACT 2454 Ser Val Tyr Val Ile Ser Glu Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Ile Ile Ala Thr 715 720 725 GAG GTG TAAAACAGAC GTGACGTGGC AAAGCTTATC GATACCGTCA TCAAGCTT 2508 Glu Val (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 2: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 728 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 2: Met Gly Gly Arg Phe Leu Leu Thr Leu Ala Leu Leu Ser Ala Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Cys Arg Cys Gln Val Asp Gly Ser Gly Val Phe Glu Leu Lys Leu Gln 20 25 30 Glu Phe Val Asn Lys Lys Gly Leu Leu Ser Asn Arg Asn Cys Cys Arg 35 40 45 Gly Gly Gly Pro Gly Gly Ala Gly Gln Gln Gln Cys Asp Cys Lys Thr 50 55 60 Phe Phe Arg Val Cys Leu Lys His Tyr Gln Ala Ser Val Ser Pro Glu 65 70 75 80 Pro Pro Cys Thr Tyr Gly Ser Ala Ile Thr Pro Val Leu Gly Ala Asn 85 90 95 Ser Phe Ser Val Pro Asp Gly Ala Gly Gly Ala Asp Pro Ala Phe Ser 100 105 110 Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe Pro Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser 115 120 125 Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu His Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Thr Thr 130 135 140 Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu Ile Ser Arg Leu Ala Thr Gln Arg His Leu 145 150 155 160 Ala Val Gly Glu Glu Trp Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg Thr 165 170 175 Asp Leu Lys Tyr Ser Tyr Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly 180 185 190 Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Arg Phe Gly His 195 200 205 Phe Thr Cys Gly Glu Arg Gly Glu Lys Val Cys Asn Pro Gly Trp Lys 210 215 220 Gly Gln Tyr Cys Thr Glu Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Glu Gln 225 230 235 240 His Gly Phe Cys Asp Lys Pro Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp 245 250 255 Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp Glu Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Leu His 260 265 270 Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro Trp Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly 275 280 285 Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro 290 295 300 Cys Lys Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys Thr Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr Thr 305 310 315 320 Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Ser Ser Cys Glu Ile Glu Ile 325 330 335 Asn Glu Cys Asp Ala Asn Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Gly Ser Cys Thr Asp 340 345 350 Leu Glu Asn Ser Tyr Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys 355 360 365 Asn Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn 370 375 380 Gly Gly Arg Cys Thr Asp Asn Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Ser Cys Arg Cys 385 390 395 400 Pro Leu Gly Tyr Ser Gly Phe Asn Cys Glu Lys Lys Ile Asp Tyr Cys 405 410 415 Ser Ser Ser Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Ala Gln Cys Val Asp Leu Gly Asn 420 425 430 Ser Tyr Ile Cys Gln Cys Gln Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Arg His Cys Asp 435 440 445 Asp Asn Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser Phe Pro Cys Val Asn Gly Gly Thr 450 455 460 Cys Gln Asp Gly Val Asn Asp Tyr Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr 465 470 475 480 Asn Gly Lys Asn Cys Ser Thr Pro Val Ser Arg Cys Glu His Asn Pro 485 490 495 Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His Glu Arg Ser Asn Arg Tyr Val Cys 500 505 510 Glu Cys Ala Arg Gly Tyr Gly Gly Leu Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu Pro 515 520 525 Glu Pro Pro Gln Gly Pro Val Ile Val Asp Phe Thr Glu Lys Tyr Thr 530 535 540 Glu Gly Gln Asn Ser Gln Phe Pro Trp Ile Ala Val Cys Ala Gly Ile 545 550 555 560 Ile Leu Val Leu Met Leu Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Ile Val Val Cys 565 570 575 Val Arg Leu Lys Val Gln Lys Arg His His Gln Pro Glu Ala Cys Arg 580 585 590 Ser Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys 595 600 605 Asp Ile Ser Ile Ser Val Ile Gly Ala Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn 610 615 620 Lys Lys Val Asp Phe His Ser Asp Asn Ser Asp Lys Asn Gly Tyr Lys 625 630 635 640 Val Arg Tyr Pro Ser Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val His Glu Leu Lys Asn 645 650 655 Glu Asp Ser Val Lys Glu Glu His Gly Lys Cys Glu Ala Lys Cys Glu 660 665 670 Thr Tyr Asp Ser Glu Ala Glu Glu Lys Ser Ala Val Gln Leu Lys Ser 675 680 685 Ser Asp Thr Ser Glu Arg Lys Arg Pro Asp Ser Val Tyr Ser Thr Ser 690 695 700 Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln Ser Val Tyr Val Ile Ser Glu Glu Lys Asp 705 710 715 720 Glu Cys Ile Ile Ala Thr Glu Val 725 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 3: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2883 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 3: GAATTCGGCA CGAGGTTTTT TTTTTTTTTT TTCCCCTCTT TTCTTTCTTT TCCTTTTGCC 60 ATCCGAAAGA GCTGTCAGCC GCCGCCGGGC TGCACCTAAA GGCGTCGGTA GGGGGATAAC 120 AGTCAGAGAC CCTCCTGAAA GCAGGAGACG GGACGGTACC CCTCCGGCTC TGCGGGGCGG 180 CTGCGGCCCC TCCGTTCTTT CCCCCTCCCC GAGAGACACT CTTCCTTTCC CCCCACGAAG 240 ACACAGGGGC AGGAACGCGA GCGCTGCCCC TCCGCCATGG GAGGCCGCTT CCTGCTGACG 300 CTCGCCCTCC TCTCGGCGCT GCTGTGCCGC TGCCAGGTTG ACGGCTCCGG GGTGTTCGAG 360 CTGAAGCTGC AGGAGTTTGT CAACAAGAAG GGGCTGCTCA GCAACCGCAA CTGCTGCCGG 420 GGGGGCGGCC CCGGAGGCGC CGGGCAGCAG CAGTGCGACT GCAAGACCTT CTTCCGCGTC 480 TGCCTGAAGC ACTACCAGGC CAGCGTCTCC CCCGAGCCGC CCTGCACCTA CGGCAGCGCC 540 ATCACCCCCG TCCTCGGCGC CAACTCCTTC AGCGTCCCCG ACGGCGCGGG CGGCGCCGAC 600 CCCGCCTTCA GCAACCCCAT CCGCTTCCCC TTCGGCTTCA CCTGGCCCGG CACCTTCTCG 660 CTCATCATCG AGGCTCTGCA CACCGACTCC CCCGACGACC TCACCACAGA AAACCCCGAG 720 CGCCTCATCA GCCGCCTGGC CACCCAGAGG CACCTGGCGG TGGGCGAGGA GTGGTCCCAG 780 GACCTGCACA GCAGCGGCCG CACCGACCTC AAGTACTCCT ATCGCTTTGT GTGTGATGAG 840 CACTACTACG GGGAAGGCTG CTCTGTCTTC TGCCGGCCCC GTGACGACCG CTTCGGTCAC 900 TTCACCTGTG GAGAGCGTGG CGAGAAGGTC TGCAACCCAG GCTGGAAGGG CCAGTACTGC 960 ACTGAGCCGA TTTGCTTGCC TGGGTGTGAC GAGCAGCACG GCTTCTGCGA CAAACCTGGG 1020 GAATGCAAGT GCAGAGTGGG TTGGCAGGGG CGGTACTGTG ACGAGTGCAT CCGATACCCA 1080 GGCTGCCTGC ACGGTACCTG TCAGCAGCCA TGGCAGTGCA ACTGCCAGGA AGGCTGGGGC 1140 GGCCTTTTCT GCAACCAGGA CCTGAACTAC TGCACTCACC ACAAGCCATG CAAGAATGGT 1200 GCCACATGCA CCAACACCGG TCAGGGGAGC TACACTTGTT CTTGCCGACC TGGGTACACA 1260 GGCTCCAGCT GCGAGATTGA AATCAACGAA TGTGATGCCA ACCCTTGCAA GAATGGTGGA 1320 AGCTGCACGG ATCTCGAGAA CAGCTATTCC TGTACCTGCC CCCCAGGCTT CTATGGTAAA 1380 AACTGTGAGC TGAGTGCAAT GACTTGTGCT GATGGACCGT GCTTCAATGG AGGGCGATGC 1440 ACTGACAACC CTGATGGTGG ATACAGCTGC CGCTGCCCAC TGGGTTATTC TGGGTTCAAC 1500 TGTGAAAAGA AAATCGATTA CTGCAGTTCC AGCCCTTGTG CTAATGGAGC CCAGTGCGTT 1560 GACCTGGGGA ACTCCTACAT ATGCCAGTGC CAGGCTGGCT TCACTGGCAG GCACTGTGAC 1620 GACAACGTGG ACGATTGCGC CTCCTTCCCC TGCGTCAATG GAGGGACCTG TCAGGATGGG 1680 GTCAACGACT ACTCCTGCAC CTGCCCCCCG GGATACAACG GGAAGAACTG CAGCACGCCG 1740 GTGAGCAGAT GCGAGCACAA CCCCTGCCAC AATGGGGCCA CCTGCCACGA GAGAAGCAAC 1800 CGCTACGTGT GCGAGTGCGC TCGGGGCTAC GGCGGCCTCA ACTGCCAGTT CCTGCTCCCC 1860 GAGCCACCTC AGGGGCCGGT CATCGTTGAC TTCACCGAGA AGTACACAGA GGGCCAGAAC 1920 AGCCAGTTTC CCTGGATCGC AGTGTGCGCC GGGATTATTC TGGTCCTCAT GCTGCTGCTG 1980 GGTTGCGCCG CCATCGTCGT CTGCGTCAGG CTGAAGGTGC AGAAGAGGCA CCACCAGCCC 2040 GAGGCCTGCA GGAGTGAAAC GGAGACCATG AACAACCTGG CGAACTGCCA GCGCGAGAAG 2100 GACATCTCCA TCAGCGTCAT CGGTGCCACT CAGATTAAAA ACACAAATAA GAAAGTAGAC 2160 TTTCACAGCG ATAACTCCGA TAAAAACGGC TACAAAGTTA GATACCCATC AGTGGATTAC 2220 AATTTGGTGC ATGAACTCAA GAATGAGGAC TCTGTGAAAG AGGAGCATGG CAAATGCGAA 2280 GCCAAGTGTG AAACGTATGA TTCAGAGGCA GAAGAGAAAA GCGCAGTACA GCTAAAAAGT 2340 AGTGACACTT CTGAAAGAAA ACGGCCAGAT TCAGTATATT CCACTTCAAA GGACACAAAG 2400 TACCAGTCGG TGTACGTCAT ATCAGAAGAG AAAGATGAGT GCATCATAGC AACTGAGGTT 2460 AGTATCCCAC CTGGCAGTCG GACAAGTCTT GGTGTGTGAT TCCCATCCAG CGCAGGTCAG 2520 GGCGGCCAAA CCATTCTACC TGCTGCCACA GTCATCTGTA CCCAATGAAA ACTGGCCACC 2580 TTCAGTCTGT GGCACTGCAG ACGTTGAAAA AACTTGTTGT GGATTAACAT AAGCTCCAGT 2640 GGGGGTTACA GGGACAGCAA TTTTTGCAGG CAAGGGTATA ACTGTAGTGC AGTTGTAGCT 2700 TACTAACCCT ACTGACTCAT TCTTTCGTGT GCTTCCTGCA GAGCCTGTTT TTGCTTGGCA 2760 TTGAGGTGAA GTCCTGACCC TCTGCATCCT CATAGTCCTC TGCTTTCTTT TTATTAACCT 2820 CTTCTGGTCT CTGCTTGTCT TTTCTCTCAA CAGGTGTAAA ACAGACGTGA CGTGGCAAAG 2880 CTT 2883 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 4: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2857 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 4: GTCCAGCGGT ACCATGGGCC GTCGGAGCGC GCTACCCCTT GCCGTGGTCT CTGCCCTGCT 60 GTGCCAGGTC TGGAGCTCCG GCGTATTTGA GCTGAAGCTG CAGGAGTTCG TCAACAAGAA 120 GGGGCTGCTG GGGAACCGCA ACTGCTGCCG CGGGGGCTCT GGCCCGCCTT GCGCCTGCAG 180 GACCTTCTTT CGCGTATGCC TCAACCACTA CCAGGCCAGC GTGTCACCGG AGCCACCCTG 240 CACCTACGGC AGTGCTGTCA CGCCAGTGCT GGGTCTCGAC TCCTTCAGCC TGCCTGATGG 300 CGCAGGCATC GACCCCGCCT TCAGCAACCC ATCCGATTCC CCTTCCGGCT TCACCTGGCC 360 AGGTACCTTC TCTCTGATCA TTGAAGCCCT CCATACAGAC TCTCCCGATG ACCTCGCAAC 420 AGAAAACCCA GAAAGACTCA TCAGCCGCCT GACCACACAG AGGCACCTCA CTGTGGGACG 480 AATGGTCTCA GGACCTTCAC AGTAGCGGCC GCACAGACCT CCGGTACTCT TACCGGTTTG 540 TGTGTGACGA GCACTACTAC GGAGAAGGTT GCTCTGTGTT CTGCCGACCT CGGGATGACG 600 CCTTTGGCCA CTTCACCTGC GGGGACAGAG GGGAGAAGAT GTGCGACCCT GGCTGGAAAG 660 GCCAGTACTG CACTGACCCA ATCTGTCTGC CAGGGTGTGA TGACCAACAT GGATACTGTG 720 ACAAACCAGG GGAGTGCAAG TGCAGAGTTG GCTGGCAGGG CCGCTACTGC GATGAGTGCA 780 TCCGATACCC AGGTTGTCTC CATGGCACCT GCCAGCAACC CTGGCAGTGT AACTGCCAGG 840 AAGGCTGGGG GGGCCTTTTC TGCAACCAAG ACCTGAACTA CTGTACTCAC CATAAGCCGT 900 GCAGGAATGG AGCCACCTGC ACCAACACGG GCCAGGGGAG CTACACATGT TCCTGCCGAC 960 TGGGGTATAC AGGTGCCAAC TGTGAGCTGG AAGTAGATGA GTGTGCTCCT AGCCCCTGCA 1020 AGAACGGAGC GAGCTGCACG GACCTTGAGG ACAGCTTCTC TTGCACCTGC CCTCCCGGCT 1080 TCTATGGCAA GGTCTGTGAG CTTGAGCGCC ATGACCTGTG CAGATGGCCC TTGCTTCAAT 1140 GGAGGACGAT GTTCAGATAA CCCTGACGGA GGCTACACCT GCCATTGCCC CTTGGGCTTC 1200 TCTGGCTTCA ACTGTGAGAA GAAGATGGAT CTCTGCGGCT CTTCCCCCTT GTTCTAACGG 1260 TGCCAAGTGT GTGGACCTCG GCAACTCTTA CCTGTGCCGG TGCCAGGCTG GCTTCTCCGG 1320 GACCTACTGC GAGGACAATG TGGATGACTG TGCCTCCTCC CCGTGTGCAA ATGGGGGCAC 1380 CTGCCGGGAC AGTGTGAACG ACTTCTCCTC TACCTGCCCA CCTGGCTACA CGGGCAAGAA 1440 CTGCAGCGCC CCTGTCAGCA GGTGTGAGCA TGCACCCTGC CATAATGGGG CCACCTGCCA 1500 CCAGAGGGGC CAGCGCTACA TGTGTGAGTG CGCCCAGGGC TATGGCGGCC CCAACTGCCA 1560 GTTTCTGCTC CCTGAGCCAC CACCAGGGCC CATGGTGGTG GACCTCAGTG AGAGGCATAT 1620 GGAGAGCCAG GGCGGGCCCT TCCCCTCGGT GGCGGTGTGT GCCGGGGTGG TGCTTGTCCT 1680 CCTGCTGCTG CTGGGCTGTG CTGCTGTGGT GGTCTGCGTC CGGCTGAAGC TACAGAAACA 1740 CCAGCCTCCA CCTGAACCCT GTGGGGGAGA GACAGAAACC ATGAACAACC TAGCCAATTG 1800 CCAGCGCGAG AAGGACGTTT CTGTTAGCAT CATTGGGGCT ACCCAGATCA AGAACACCAA 1860 CAAGAAGGCG GACTTTCACG GGGACCATGG AGCCAAGAAG AGCAGCTTTA AGGTCCGATA 1920 CCCCACTGTG GACTATAACC TCGTTCGAGA CCTCAAGGGA GATGAAGCCA CGGTCAGGGA 1980 TACACACAGC AAACGTGACA CCAAGTGCCA GTCACAGAGC TCTGCAGGAG AAGAGAAGAT 2040 CGCCCCAACA CTTAGGGGTG GGGAGATTCC TGACAGAAAA AGGCCAGAGT CTGTCTACTC 2100 TACTTCAAAG GACACCAAGT ACCAGTCGGT GTATGTTCTG TCTGCAGAAA AGGATGAGTG 2160 TGTTATAGCG ACTGAGCTGT AAGATGGAAG CGATGTGGCA AAATTCCCAT TTCTCTCAAA 2220 TAAAATTCCA AGGATATAGC CCCGATGAAT GCTGCTGAGA GAGGAAGGGA GAGGAAACCC 2280 AGGGACTGCT GCTGAGAACC AGGTTCAGGC GAAGCTGGTT CTCTCAGAGT TAGCAGAGGC 2340 GCCCGACACT GCCAGCCTAG GCTTTGGCTG CCGCTGGACT GCCTGCTGGT TGTTCCCATT 2400 GCACTATGGA CAGTTGCTTT GAAGAGTATA TATTTAAATG GACGAGTGAC TTGATTCATA 2460 TACGAAGCAC GCACTGCCCA CACGTCTATC TTGGATTACT ATGAGCCAGT CTTTCCTTGA 2520 ACTAGAAACA CAACTGCCTT TATTGTCCTT TTTGATACTG AGATGTGTTT TTTTTTTTCC 2580 TAGACGGGAA AAAGAAAACG TGTGTTATTT TTTTGGGATT TGTAAAAATA TTTTTCATGA 2640 TATCTGTAAA GCTTGAGTAT TTTGTGACGT TCATTTTTTT ATAATTTAAA TTTTGGTAAA 2700 TATGTACAAA GGCACTTCGG GTCTATGTGA CTATATTTTT TTGTATATAA ATGTATTTAT 2760 GGAATATTGT GCAAATGTTA TTTGAGTTTT TTACTGTTTT GTTAATGAAG AAATTCATTT 2820 TAAAAATATT TTTCCAAAAT AAATATAATG AACTACA 2857 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 5: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 721 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 5: Met Gly Gln Gln Arg Met Leu Thr Leu Leu Val Leu Ser Ala Val Leu 1 5 10 15 Cys Gln Ile Ser Cys Ser Gly Leu Phe Glu Leu Arg Leu Gln Glu Phe 20 25 30 Val Asn Lys Lys Gly Leu Leu Gly Asn Met Asn Cys Cys Arg Pro Gly 35 40 45 Ser Leu Ala Ser Leu Gln Arg Cys Glu Cys Lys Thr Phe Phe Arg Ile 50 55 60 Cys Leu Lys His Tyr Gln Ser Asn Val Ser Pro Glu Pro Pro Cys Thr 65 70 75 80 Tyr Gly Gly Ala Val Thr Pro Val Leu Gly Thr Asn Ser Phe Val Val 85 90 95 Pro Glu Ser Ser Asn Ala Asp Pro Thr Phe Ser Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe 100 105 110 Pro Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala 115 120 125 Ile His Ala Asp Ser Ala Asp Asp Leu Asn Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg 130 135 140 Leu Ile Ser Arg Leu Ala Thr Gln Arg His Leu Thr Val Gly Glu Gln 145 150 155 160 Trp Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Asp Arg Thr Glu Leu Lys Tyr Ser 165 170 175 Tyr Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu Tyr Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser Asp 180 185 190 Tyr Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Ala Phe Gly His Phe Ser Cys Gly Glu 195 200 205 Lys Gly Glu Lys Leu Cys Asn Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Leu Tyr Cys Thr 210 215 220 Glu Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Glu His His Gly Tyr Cys Asp 225 230 235 240 Lys Pro Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys 245 250 255 Asp Glu Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Leu His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln 260 265 270 Pro Trp Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn 275 280 285 Gln Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Glu Asn Gly Ala 290 295 300 Thr Cys Thr Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro 305 310 315 320 Gly Tyr Thr Gly Ser Asn Cys Glu Ile Glu Val Asn Glu Cys Asp Ala 325 330 335 Asn Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Gly Ser Cys Ser Asp Leu Glu Asn Ser Tyr 340 345 350 Thr Cys Ser Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Asn Cys Glu Leu Ser 355 360 365 Ala Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys Ala 370 375 380 Asp Asn Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Ile Cys Phe Cys Pro Val Gly Tyr Ser 385 390 395 400 Gly Phe Asn Cys Glu Lys Lys Ile Asp Tyr Cys Ser Ser Asn Pro Cys 405 410 415 Ala Asn Gly Ala Arg Cys Glu Asp Leu Gly Asn Ser Tyr Ile Cys Gln 420 425 430 Cys Gln Glu Gly Phe Ser Gly Arg Asn Cys Asp Asp Asn Leu Asp Asp 435 440 445 Cys Thr Ser Phe Pro Cys Gln Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Gln Asp Gly Ile 450 455 460 Asn Asp Tyr Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Ile Gly Lys Asn Cys 465 470 475 480 Ser Met Pro Ile Thr Lys Cys Glu His Asn Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala 485 490 495 Thr Cys His Glu Arg Asn Asn Arg Tyr Val Cys Gln Cys Ala Arg Gly 500 505 510 Tyr Gly Gly Asn Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu Pro Glu Glu Lys Pro Val 515 520 525 Val Val Asp Leu Thr Glu Lys Tyr Thr Glu Gly Gln Ser Gly Gln Phe 530 535 540 Pro Trp Ile Ala Val Cys Ala Gly Ile Val Leu Val Leu Met Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Val Cys Val Arg Val Arg Val Gln Lys 565 570 575 Arg Arg His Gln Pro Glu Ala Cys Arg Gly Glu Ser Lys Thr Met Asn 580 585 590 Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Val Ser Phe Ile 595 600 605 Gly Thr Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Ile Asp Phe Leu Ser 610 615 620 Glu Ser Asn Asn Glu Lys Asn Gly Tyr Lys Pro Arg Tyr Pro Ser Val 625 630 635 640 Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val His Glu Leu Lys Asn Glu Asp Ser Pro Lys Glu 645 650 655 Glu Arg Ser Lys Cys Glu Ala Lys Cys Ser Ser Asn Asp Ser Asp Ser 660 665 670 Glu Asp Val Asn Ser Val His Ser Lys Arg Asp Ser Ser Glu Arg Arg 675 680 685 Arg Pro Asp Ser Ala Tyr Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln Ser 690 695 700 Val Tyr Val Ile Ser Asp Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Ile Ile Ala Thr Glu 705 710 715 720 Val (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 6: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 832 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 6: Met His Trp Ile Lys Cys Leu Leu Thr Ala Phe Ile Cys Phe Thr Val 1 5 10 15 Ile Val Gln Val His Ser Ser Gly Ser Phe Glu Leu Arg Leu Lys Tyr 20 25 30 Phe Ser Asn Asp His Gly Arg Asp Asn Glu Gly Arg Cys Cys Ser Gly 35 40 45 Glu Ser Asp Gly Ala Thr Gly Lys Cys Leu Gly Ser Cys Lys Thr Arg 50 55 60 Phe Arg Leu Cys Leu Lys His Tyr Gln Ala Thr Ile Asp Thr Thr Ser 65 70 75 80 Gln Cys Thr Tyr Gly Asp Val Ile Thr Pro Ile Leu Gly Glu Asn Ser 85 90 95 Val Asn Leu Thr Asp Ala Gln Arg Phe Gln Asn Lys Gly Phe Thr Asn 100 105 110 Pro Ile Gln Phe Pro Phe Ser Phe Ser Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu 115 120 125 Ile Val Glu Ala Trp His Asp Thr Asn Asn Ser Gly Asn Ala Arg Thr 130 135 140 Asn Lys Leu Leu Ile Gln Arg Leu Leu Val Gln Gln Val Leu Glu Val 145 150 155 160 Ser Ser Glu Trp Lys Thr Asn Lys Ser Glu Ser Gln Tyr Thr Ser Leu 165 170 175 Glu Tyr Asp Phe Arg Val Thr Cys Asp Leu Asn Tyr Tyr Gly Ser Gly 180 185 190 Cys Ala Lys Phe Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Ser Phe Gly His Ser Thr 195 200 205 Cys Ser Glu Thr Gly Glu Ile Ile Cys Leu Thr Gly Trp Gln Gly Asp 210 215 220 Tyr Cys His Ile Pro Lys Cys Ala Lys Gly Cys Glu His Gly His Cys 225 230 235 240 Asp Lys Pro Asn Gln Cys Val Cys Gln Leu Gly Trp Lys Gly Ala Leu 245 250 255 Cys Asn Glu Cys Val Leu Glu Pro Asn Cys Ile His Gly Thr Cys Asn 260 265 270 Lys Pro Trp Thr Cys Ile Cys Asn Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Tyr Cys 275 280 285 Asn Gln Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr Asn His Arg Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly 290 295 300 Gly Thr Cys Phe Asn Thr Gly Glu Gly Leu Tyr Thr Cys Lys Cys Ala 305 310 315 320 Pro Gly Tyr Ser Gly Asp Asp Cys Glu Asn Glu Ile Tyr Ser Cys Asp 325 330 335 Ala Asp Val Asn Pro Cys Gln Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Ile Asp Glu Pro 340 345 350 His Thr Lys Thr Gly Tyr Lys Cys His Cys Arg Asn Gly Trp Ser Gly 355 360 365 Lys Met Cys Glu Glu Lys Val Leu Thr Cys Ser Asp Lys Pro Cys His 370 375 380 Gln Gly Ile Cys Arg Asn Val Arg Pro Gly Leu Gly Ser Lys Gly Gln 385 390 395 400 Gly Tyr Gln Cys Glu Cys Pro Ile Gly Tyr Ser Gly Pro Asn Cys Asp 405 410 415 Leu Gln Leu Asp Asn Cys Ser Pro Asn Pro Cys Ile Asn Gly Gly Ser 420 425 430 Cys Gln Pro Ser Gly Lys Cys Ile Cys Pro Ser Gly Phe Ser Gly Thr 435 440 445 Arg Cys Glu Thr Asn Ile Asp Asp Cys Leu Gly His Gln Cys Glu Asn 450 455 460 Gly Gly Thr Cys Ile Asp Met Val Asn Gln Tyr Arg Cys Gln Cys Val 465 470 475 480 Pro Gly Phe His Gly Thr His Cys Ser Ser Lys Val Asp Leu Cys Leu 485 490 495 Ile Arg Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Leu Asn Leu Asn Asn Asp 500 505 510 Tyr Gln Cys Thr Cys Arg Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Lys Asp Cys Ser Val 515 520 525 Asp Ile Asp Glu Cys Ser Ser Gly Pro Cys His Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys 530 535 540 Met Asn Arg Val Asn Ser Phe Glu Cys Val Cys Ala Asn Gly Phe Arg 545 550 555 560 Gly Lys Gln Cys Asp Glu Glu Ser Tyr Asp Ser Val Thr Phe Asp Ala 565 570 575 His Gln Tyr Gly Ala Thr Thr Gln Ala Arg Ala Asp Gly Leu Ala Asn 580 585 590 Ala Gln Val Val Leu Ile Ala Val Phe Ser Val Ala Met Pro Leu Val 595 600 605 Ala Val Ile Ala Ala Cys Val Val Phe Cys Met Lys Arg Lys Arg Lys 610 615 620 Arg Ala Gln Glu Lys Asp Asn Ala Glu Ala Arg Lys Gln Asn Glu Gln 625 630 635 640 Asn Ala Val Ala Thr Met His His Asn Gly Ser Ala Val Gly Val Ala 645 650 655 Leu Ala Ser Ala Ser Met Gly Gly Lys Thr Gly Ser Asn Ser Gly Leu 660 665 670 Thr Phe Asp Gly Gly Asn Pro Asn Ile Ile Lys Asn Thr Trp Asp Lys 675 680 685 Ser Val Asn Asn Ile Cys Ala Ser Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala 690 695 700 Ala Ala Ala Asp Glu Cys Leu Met Tyr Gly Gly Tyr Val Ala Ser Val 705 710 715 720 Ala Asp Asn Asn Asn Ala Asn Ser Asp Phe Cys Val Ala Pro Leu Gln 725 730 735 Arg Ala Lys Ser Gln Lys Gln Leu Asn Thr Asp Pro Thr Leu Met His 740 745 750 Arg Gly Ser Pro Ala Gly Thr Ser Ala Lys Gly Ala Ser Gly Gly Gly 755 760 765 Pro Gly Ala Ala Glu Gly Lys Arg Ile Ser Val Leu Gly Glu Gly Ser 770 775 780 Tyr Cys Ser Gln Arg Trp Pro Ser Leu Ala Ala Ala Gly Val Ala Gly 785 790 795 800 Asp Leu Phe Ile Gln Leu Met Ala Ala Ala Ser Val Ala Gly Thr Asp 805 810 815 Gly Thr Ala Gln Gln Gln Arg Ser Val Val Cys Gly Thr Pro His Met 820 825 830 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 7: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 46 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 7: Val Gln Cys Ala Val Thr Tyr Tyr Asn Thr Thr Phe Cys Thr Thr Phe 1 5 10 15 Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Gln Phe Gly His Tyr Ala Cys Gly Ser Glu 20 25 30 Gly Gln Lys Leu Cys Leu Asn Gly Trp Gln Gly Val Asn Cys 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 8: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 45 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 8: Val Thr Cys Ala Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly Phe Gly Cys Asn Lys Phe Cys 1 5 10 15 Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Phe Phe Thr His His Thr Cys Asp Gln Asn Gly 20 25 30 Asn Lys Thr Cys Leu Glu Gly Trp Thr Gly Pro Glu Cys 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 9: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 43 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 9: Asn Leu Cys Ser Ser Asn Tyr His Gly Lys Arg Cys Asn Arg Tyr Cys 1 5 10 15 Ile Ala Asn Ala Lys Leu His Trp Glu Cys Ser Thr His Gly Val Arg 20 25 30 Arg Cys Ser Ala Gly Trp Ser Gly Glu Asp Cys 35 40 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 10: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 45 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 10: Val Thr Cys Ala Arg Asn Tyr Phe Gly Asn Arg Cys Glu Asn Phe Cys 1 5 10 15 Asp Ala His Leu Ala Lys Ala Ala Arg Lys Arg Cys Asp Ala Met Gly 20 25 30 Arg Leu Arg Cys Asp Ile Gly Trp Met Gly Pro His Cys 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 11: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2692 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Coding Sequence (B) LOCATION: 34...2199 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 11: CTGCAGGAAT TCSMYCGCAT GCTCCCGGCC GCC ATG GGC CGT CGG AGC GCG CTA 54 Met Gly Arg Arg Ser Ala Leu 1 5 GCC CTT GCC GTG GTC TCT GCC CTG CTG TGC CAG GTC TGG AGC TCC GGC 102 Ala Leu Ala Val Val Ser Ala Leu Leu Cys Gln Val Trp Ser Ser Gly 10 15 20 GTA TTT GAG CTG AAG CTG CAG GAG TTC GTC AAC AAG AAG GGG CTG CTG 150 Val Phe Glu Leu Lys Leu Gln Glu Phe Val Asn Lys Lys Gly Leu Leu 25 30 35 GGG AAC CGC AAC TGC TGC CGC GGG GGC TCT GGC CCG CCT TGC GCC TGC 198 Gly Asn Arg Asn Cys Cys Arg Gly Gly Ser Gly Pro Pro Cys Ala Cys 40 45 50 55 AGG ACC TTC TTT CGC GTA TGC CTC AAG CAC TAC CAG GCC AGC GTG TCA 246 Arg Thr Phe Phe Arg Val Cys Leu Lys His Tyr Gln Ala Ser Val Ser 60 65 70 CCG GAG CCA CCC TGC ACC TAC GGC AGT GCC GTC ACG CCA GTG CTG GGT 294 Pro Glu Pro Pro Cys Thr Tyr Gly Ser Ala Val Thr Pro Val Leu Gly 75 80 85 GTC GAC TCC TTC AGC CTG CCT GAT GGC GCA GGC ATC GAC CCC GCC TTC 342 Val Asp Ser Phe Ser Leu Pro Asp Gly Ala Gly Ile Asp Pro Ala Phe 90 95 100 AGC AAC CCC ATC CGA TTC CCC TTC GGC TTC ACC TGG CCA GGT ACC TTC 390 Ser Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe Pro Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe 105 110 115 TCT CTG ATC ATT GAA GCC CTC CAT ACA GAC TCT CCC GAT GAC CTC GCA 438 Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu His Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Ala 120 125 130 135 ACA GAA AAC CCA GAA AGA CTC ATC AGC CGC CTG ACC ACA CAG AGG CAC 486 Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu Ile Ser Arg Leu Thr Thr Gln Arg His 140 145 150 CTC ACT GTG GGA GAA GAA TGG TCT CAG GAC CTT CAC AGT AGC GGC CGC 534 Leu Thr Val Gly Glu Glu Trp Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg 155 160 165 ACA GAC CTC CGG TAC TCT TAC CGG TTT GTG TGT GAC GAG CAC TAC TAC 582 Thr Asp Leu Arg Tyr Ser Tyr Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr 170 175 180 GGA GAA GGT TGC TCT GTG TTC TGC CGA CCT CGG GAT GAC GCC TTT GGC 630 Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Ala Phe Gly 185 190 195 CAC TTC ACC TGC GGG GAC AGA GGG GAG AAG ATG TGC GAC CCT GGC TGG 678 His Phe Thr Cys Gly Asp Arg Gly Glu Lys Met Cys Asp Pro Gly Trp 200 205 210 215 AAA GGC CAG TAC TGC ACT GAC CCA ATC TGT CTG CCA GGG TGT GAT GAC 726 Lys Gly Gln Tyr Cys Thr Asp Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Asp 220 225 230 CAA CAT GGA TAC TGT GAC AAA CCA GGG GAG TGC AAG TGC AGA GTT GGC 774 Gln His Gly Tyr Cys Asp Lys Pro Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly 235 240 245 TGG CAG GGC CGC TAC TGC GAT GAG TGC ATC CGA TAC CCA GGT TGT GTC 822 Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp Glu Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Val 250 255 260 CAT GGC ACC TGC CAG CAA CCC TGG CAG TGT AAC TGC CAG GAA GGC TGG 870 His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro Trp Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp 265 270 275 GGG GGC CTT TTC TGC AAC CAA GAC CTG AAC TAC TGT ACT CAC CAT AAG 918 Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys 280 285 290 295 CCG TGC AGG AAT GGA GCC ACC TGC ACC AAC ACG GGC CAG GGG AGC TAC 966 Pro Cys Arg Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys Thr Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr 300 305 310 ACA TGT TCC TGC CGA CCT GGG TAT ACA GGT GCC AAC TGT GAG CTG GAA 1014 Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Ala Asn Cys Glu Leu Glu 315 320 325 GTA GAT GAG TGT GCT CCT AGC CCC TGC AAG AAC GGA GCG AGC TGC ACG 1062 Val Asp Glu Cys Ala Pro Ser Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Ala Ser Cys Thr 330 335 340 GAC CTT GAG GAC AGC TTC TCT TGC ACC TGC CCT CCC GGC TTC TAT GGC 1110 Asp Leu Glu Asp Ser Phe Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly 345 350 355 AAG GTC TGT GAG CTG AGC GCC ATG ACC TGT GCA GAT GGC CCT TGC TTC 1158 Lys Val Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe 360 365 370 375 AAT GGA GGA CGA TGT TCA GAT AAC CCT GAC GGA GGC TAC ACC TGC CAT 1206 Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys Ser Asp Asn Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Thr Cys His 380 385 390 TGC CCC TTG GGC TTC TCT GGC TTC AAC TGT GAG AAG AAG ATG GAT CTC 1254 Cys Pro Leu Gly Phe Ser Gly Phe Asn Cys Glu Lys Lys Met Asp Leu 395 400 405 TGC GGC TCT TCC CCT TGT TCT AAC GGT GCC AAG TGT GTG GAC CTC GGC 1302 Cys Gly Ser Ser Pro Cys Ser Asn Gly Ala Lys Cys Val Asp Leu Gly 410 415 420 AAC TCT TAC CTG TGC CGG TGC CAG GCT GGC TTC TCC GGG AGG TAC TGC 1350 Asn Ser Tyr Leu Cys Arg Cys Gln Ala Gly Phe Ser Gly Arg Tyr Cys 425 430 435 GAG GAC AAT GTG GAT GAC TGT GCC TCC TCC CCG TGT GCA AAT GGG GGC 1398 Glu Asp Asn Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser Ser Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Gly 440 445 450 455 ACC TGC CGG GAC AGT GTG AAC GAC TTC TCC TGT ACC TGC CCA CCT GGC 1446 Thr Cys Arg Asp Ser Val Asn Asp Phe Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly 460 465 470 TAC ACG GGC AAG AAC TGC AGC GCC CCT GTC AGC AGG TGT GAG CAT GCA 1494 Tyr Thr Gly Lys Asn Cys Ser Ala Pro Val Ser Arg Cys Glu His Ala 475 480 485 CCC TGC CAT AAT GGG GCC ACC TGC CAC CAG AGG GGC CAG CGC TAC ATG 1542 Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His Gln Arg Gly Gln Arg Tyr Met 490 495 500 TGT GAG TGC GCC CAG GGC TAT GGC GGC CCC AAC TGC CAG TTT CTG CTC 1590 Cys Glu Cys Ala Gln Gly Tyr Gly Gly Pro Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu 505 510 515 CCT GAG CCA CCA CCA GGG CCC ATG GTG GTG GAC CTC AGT GAG AGG CAT 1638 Pro Glu Pro Pro Pro Gly Pro Met Val Val Asp Leu Ser Glu Arg His 520 525 530 535 ATG GAG AGC CAG GGC GGG CCC TTC CCC TGG GTG GCC GTG TGT GCC GGG 1686 Met Glu Ser Gln Gly Gly Pro Phe Pro Trp Val Ala Val Cys Ala Gly 540 545 550 GTG GTG CTT GTC CTC CTG CTG CTG CTG GGC TGT GCT GCT GTG GTG GTC 1734 Val Val Leu Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Val 555 560 565 TGC GTC CGG CTG AAG CTA CAG AAA CAC CAG CCT CCA CCT GAA CCC TGT 1782 Cys Val Arg Leu Lys Leu Gln Lys His Gln Pro Pro Pro Glu Pro Cys 570 575 580 GGG GGA GAG ACA GAA ACC ATG AAC AAC CTA GCC AAT TGC CAG CGC GAG 1830 Gly Gly Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu 585 590 595 AAG GAC GTT TCT GTT AGC ATC ATT GGG GCT ACC CAG ATC AAG AAC ACC 1878 Lys Asp Val Ser Val Ser Ile Ile Gly Ala Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr 600 605 610 615 AAC AAG AAG GCG GAC TTT CAC GGG GAC CAT GGA GCC GAG AAG AGC AGC 1926 Asn Lys Lys Ala Asp Phe His Gly Asp His Gly Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser 620 625 630 TTT AAG GTC CGA TAC CCC ACT GTG GAC TAT AAC CTC GTT CGA GAC CTC 1974 Phe Lys Val Arg Tyr Pro Thr Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val Arg Asp Leu 635 640 645 AAG GGA GAT GAA GCC ACG GTC AGG GAT ACA CAC AGC AAA CGT GAC ACC 2022 Lys Gly Asp Glu Ala Thr Val Arg Asp Thr His Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr 650 655 660 AAG TGC CAG TCA CAG AGT CTG CAG GAG AAG AGA AGA TCG CCC CAA CAC 2070 Lys Cys Gln Ser Gln Ser Leu Gln Glu Lys Arg Arg Ser Pro Gln His 665 670 675 TTA GGG GTG GGG AGA TTC CTG ACA GAA AAC AGG CCA GAG TCT GTC TAC 2118 Leu Gly Val Gly Arg Phe Leu Thr Glu Asn Arg Pro Glu Ser Val Tyr 680 685 690 695 TCT ACT TCA AAG GAC ACC AAG TAC CAG TCG GTG TAT GTT CTG TCT GCA 2166 Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln Ser Val Tyr Val Leu Ser Ala 700 705 710 GAA AAG GAT GAG TGT GTT ATA GCG ACT GAG GTG TAAGATGGAA GCGATGTGGC 2219 Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Val Ile Ala Thr Glu Val 715 720 AAAATTCCCA TTTCTCTTAA ATAAAATTCC AAGGATATAG CCCCGATGAA TGCTGCTGAG 2279 AGAGGAAGGG AGAGGAAACC CAGGGACTGC TGCTGAGAAC CAGGTTCAGG CGAACGTGGT 2339 TCTCTCAGAG TTAGCAGAGG CGCCCGACAC TGCCAGCCTA GGCTTTGGCT GCCGCTGGAC 2399 TGCCTGCTGG TTGTTCCCAT TGCACTATGG ACAGTTGCTT TGAAGAGTAT ATATTTAAAT 2459 GGACGAGTGA CTTGATTCAT ATAGGAAGCA CGCACTGCCC ACACGTCTAT CTTGGATTAC 2519 TATGAGCCAG TCTTTCCTTG AACTAGAAAC ACAACTGCCT TTATTGTCCT TTTTGATACT 2579 GAGATGTGTT TTTTTTTTTT CCTAGACGGG AAAAAGAAAA CGTGTGTTAT TTTTTTTGGG 2639 ATTTGTAAAA ATATTTTTCA TGATTATGGG AGAGCTCCCA ACGCGTTGGA GGT 2692 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 12: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 722 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 12: Met Gly Arg Arg Ser Ala Leu Ala Leu Ala Val Val Ser Ala Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Cys Gln Val Trp Ser Ser Gly Val Phe Glu Leu Lys Leu Gln Glu Phe 20 25 30 Val Asn Lys Lys Gly Leu Leu Gly Asn Arg Asn Cys Cys Arg Gly Gly 35 40 45 Ser Gly Pro Pro Cys Ala Cys Arg Thr Phe Phe Arg Val Cys Leu Lys 50 55 60 His Tyr Gln Ala Ser Val Ser Pro Glu Pro Pro Cys Thr Tyr Gly Ser 65 70 75 80 Ala Val Thr Pro Val Leu Gly Val Asp Ser Phe Ser Leu Pro Asp Gly 85 90 95 Ala Gly Ile Asp Pro Ala Phe Ser Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe Pro Phe Gly 100 105 110 Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu His Thr 115 120 125 Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Ala Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu Ile Ser 130 135 140 Arg Leu Thr Thr Gln Arg His Leu Thr Val Gly Glu Glu Trp Ser Gln 145 150 155 160 Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg Thr Asp Leu Arg Tyr Ser Tyr Arg Phe 165 170 175 Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe Cys Arg 180 185 190 Pro Arg Asp Asp Ala Phe Gly His Phe Thr Cys Gly Asp Arg Gly Glu 195 200 205 Lys Met Cys Asp Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Gln Tyr Cys Thr Asp Pro Ile 210 215 220 Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Asp Gln His Gly Tyr Cys Asp Lys Pro Gly 225 230 235 240 Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp Glu Cys 245 250 255 Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Val His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro Trp Gln 260 265 270 Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln Asp Leu 275 280 285 Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Arg Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys Thr 290 295 300 Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro Gly Tyr Thr 305 310 315 320 Gly Ala Asn Cys Glu Leu Glu Val Asp Glu Cys Ala Pro Ser Pro Cys 325 330 335 Lys Asn Gly Ala Ser Cys Thr Asp Leu Glu Asp Ser Phe Ser Cys Thr 340 345 350 Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Val Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala Met Thr 355 360 365 Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys Ser Asp Asn Pro 370 375 380 Asp Gly Gly Tyr Thr Cys His Cys Pro Leu Gly Phe Ser Gly Phe Asn 385 390 395 400 Cys Glu Lys Lys Met Asp Leu Cys Gly Ser Ser Pro Cys Ser Asn Gly 405 410 415 Ala Lys Cys Val Asp Leu Gly Asn Ser Tyr Leu Cys Arg Cys Gln Ala 420 425 430 Gly Phe Ser Gly Arg Tyr Cys Glu Asp Asn Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser 435 440 445 Ser Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Arg Asp Ser Val Asn Asp Phe 450 455 460 Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Lys Asn Cys Ser Ala Pro 465 470 475 480 Val Ser Arg Cys Glu His Ala Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His 485 490 495 Gln Arg Gly Gln Arg Tyr Met Cys Glu Cys Ala Gln Gly Tyr Gly Gly 500 505 510 Pro Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu Pro Glu Pro Pro Pro Gly Pro Met Val 515 520 525 Val Asp Leu Ser Glu Arg His Met Glu Ser Gln Gly Gly Pro Phe Pro 530 535 540 Trp Val Ala Val Cys Ala Gly Val Val Leu Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Leu 545 550 555 560 Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Val Cys Val Arg Leu Lys Leu Gln Lys His 565 570 575 Gln Pro Pro Pro Glu Pro Cys Gly Gly Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn 580 585 590 Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Val Ser Val Ser Ile Ile Gly 595 600 605 Ala Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Ala Asp Phe His Gly Asp 610 615 620 His Gly Ala Glu Lys Ser Ser Phe Lys Val Arg Tyr Pro Thr Val Asp 625 630 635 640 Tyr Asn Leu Val Arg Asp Leu Lys Gly Asp Glu Ala Thr Val Arg Asp 645 650 655 Thr His Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr Lys Cys Gln Ser Gln Ser Leu Gln Glu 660 665 670 Lys Arg Arg Ser Pro Gln His Leu Gly Val Gly Arg Phe Leu Thr Glu 675 680 685 Asn Arg Pro Glu Ser Val Tyr Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln 690 695 700 Ser Val Tyr Val Leu Ser Ala Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Val Ile Ala Thr 705 710 715 720 Glu Val (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 13: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 578 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 13: Met Gly Arg Leu Leu Ala Ser Ala Leu Leu Cys Val Ser Gly Val Phe 1 5 10 15 Glu Leu Lys Leu Gln Glu Phe Val Asn Lys Lys Gly Leu Leu Asn Arg 20 25 30 Asn Cys Cys Arg Gly Gly Gly Cys Cys Thr Phe Phe Arg Val Cys Leu 35 40 45 Lys His Tyr Gln Ala Ser Val Ser Pro Glu Pro Pro Cys Thr Tyr Gly 50 55 60 Ser Ala Thr Pro Val Leu Gly Ser Phe Ser Pro Asp Gly Ala Gly Asp 65 70 75 80 Pro Ala Phe Ser Asn Pro Ile Arg Phe Pro Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro 85 90 95 Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu His Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp 100 105 110 Asp Leu Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu Ile Ser Arg Leu Thr Gln Arg 115 120 125 His Leu Val Gly Glu Glu Trp Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg 130 135 140 Thr Asp Leu Tyr Ser Tyr Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly 145 150 155 160 Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Phe Gly His Phe 165 170 175 Thr Cys Gly Arg Gly Glu Lys Cys Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Gln Tyr Cys 180 185 190 Thr Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Gln His Gly Cys Asp Lys Pro 195 200 205 Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp Glu 210 215 220 Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Val His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro Trp 225 230 235 240 Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln Asp 245 250 255 Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys Thr 260 265 270 Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Ser Tyr Thr Cys Ser Cys Arg Pro Gly Tyr Thr 275 280 285 Gly Cys Glu Glu Glu Cys Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Ser Cys Thr Asp Leu 290 295 300 Glu Ser Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Cys Glu Leu 305 310 315 320 Ser Ala Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys 325 330 335 Asp Asn Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Cys Cys Pro Leu Gly Ser Gly Phe Asn 340 345 350 Cys Glu Lys Lys Asp Cys Ser Ser Pro Cys Asn Gly Ala Cys Val Asp 355 360 365 Leu Gly Asn Ser Tyr Cys Cys Gln Ala Gly Phe Gly Arg Cys Asp Asn 370 375 380 Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser Pro Cys Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Asp Val Asn 385 390 395 400 Asp Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Gly Lys Asn Cys Ser Pro Val 405 410 415 Ser Arg Cys Glu His Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His Arg Arg 420 425 430 Tyr Cys Glu Cys Ala Gly Tyr Gly Gly Asn Cys Gln Phe Leu Leu Pro 435 440 445 Glu Pro Pro Gly Pro Val Asp Glu Glu Gln Phe Pro Trp Ala Val Cys 450 455 460 Ala Gly Leu Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Cys Val 465 470 475 480 Arg Leu Lys Gln Lys Pro Glu Cys Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn Leu 485 490 495 Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ser Ser Ile Gly Ala Thr Gln Ile 500 505 510 Lys Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Asp Phe His Asp Lys Lys Val Arg Tyr Pro 515 520 525 Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val Leu Lys Val His Lys Lys Cys Ser Glu Glu 530 535 540 Lys Ala Leu Arg Lys Arg Pro Ser Val Tyr Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr 545 550 555 560 Lys Tyr Gln Ser Val Tyr Val Ser Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Ile Ala Thr 565 570 575 Glu Val (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 14: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 525 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 14: TACGATGAAY AACCTGGCGA ACTGCCAGCG TGAGAAGGAC ATCTCAGTCA GCATCATCGG 60 GGCYACGTCA GATCARGAAC ACCAACAAGA AGGCGGACTT YMCASCGGGG GACCASAGCG 120 TCCGACAAGA ATGGMTTTCA AGGCCCGCTA CCCCAGCGTG GACTATAACT CGTGCAGGAC 180 CTCAAGGGTG ACGACACCGC CGTCAGGACG TCGCACAGCA AGCGTGACAC CAAGTGCCAG 240 TCCCCAGGCT CCTCAGGGAG GAGAAGGGGA CCCCGACCAC ACTCAGGGGK TGCGTGCTGC 300 GGGCCGGGCT CAGGAGGGGG TACCTGGGGG GTGTCTTCCT GGAACCACTG CTCCGTTTCT 360 CTTCCCAAAT GTTCTCATGC ATTCATTGTG GATTTTCTCT ATTTTCCTTT TAGTGGAGAA 420 GCATCTGAAA GAAAAAGGCC GGACTCGGGC TGTTCAACTT CAAAAGACAC CAAGTACCAG 480 TCGGTGTACG TCATATCCGA GGAGAAGGAC GAGTGCGTCA TCGCA 525 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 15: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 10 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 15: Tyr Asp Glu Xaa Pro Gly Glu Leu Pro Ala 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 16: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 44 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 16: Glu Gly His Leu Ser Gln His His Arg Gly Xaa Val Arg Ser Xaa Thr 1 5 10 15 Pro Thr Arg Arg Arg Thr Xaa Xaa Arg Gly Thr Xaa Ala Ser Asp Lys 20 25 30 Asn Gly Phe Gln Gly Pro Leu Pro Gln Arg Gly Leu 35 40 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 17: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 118 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 17: Leu Val Gln Asp Leu Lys Gly Asp Asp Thr Ala Val Arg Thr Ser His 1 5 10 15 Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr Lys Cys Gln Ser Pro Gly Ser Ser Gly Arg Arg 20 25 30 Arg Gly Pro Arg Pro His Ser Gly Xaa Ala Cys Cys Gly Pro Gly Ser 35 40 45 Gly Gly Gly Thr Trp Gly Val Ser Ser Trp His Cys Ser Val Ser Leu 50 55 60 Pro Lys Cys Ser His Ala Phe Ile Val Asp Phe Leu Tyr Phe Pro Phe 65 70 75 80 Ser Gly Glu Ala Ser Glu Arg Lys Arg Pro Asp Ser Gly Cys Ser Thr 85 90 95 Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln Ser Val Tyr Val Ile Ser Glu Glu Lys 100 105 110 Asp Glu Cys Val Ile Ala 115 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 18: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 173 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 18: Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Val 1 5 10 15 Ser Ile Ile Gly Ala Thr Ser Asp Gln Glu His Gln Gln Glu Gly Gly 20 25 30 Leu Xaa Xaa Gly Gly Pro Xaa Pro Thr Arg Met Xaa Phe Lys Ala Arg 35 40 45 Tyr Pro Ser Val Asp Tyr Asn Ser Cys Arg Thr Ser Arg Val Thr Thr 50 55 60 Pro Pro Ser Gly Arg Arg Thr Ala Ser Val Thr Pro Ser Ala Ser Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Ala Pro Gln Gly Gly Glu Gly Asp Pro Asp His Thr Gln Gly Xaa 85 90 95 Arg Ala Ala Gly Arg Ala Gln Glu Gly Val Pro Gly Gly Cys Leu Pro 100 105 110 Gly Thr Thr Ala Pro Phe Leu Phe Pro Asn Val Leu Met His Ser Leu 115 120 125 Trp Ile Phe Ser Ile Phe Leu Leu Val Glu Lys His Leu Lys Glu Lys 130 135 140 Gly Arg Thr Arg Ala Val Gln Leu Gln Lys Thr Pro Ser Thr Ser Arg 145 150 155 160 Cys Thr Ser Tyr Pro Arg Arg Arg Thr Ser Ala Ser Ser 165 170 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 19: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 60 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 19: Xaa Thr Trp Arg Thr Ala Ser Val Arg Arg Thr Ser Gln Ser Ala Ser 1 5 10 15 Ser Gly Xaa Arg Gln Ile Xaa Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Ala Asp Phe Xaa 20 25 30 Xaa Gly Asp Xaa Ser Val Arg Gln Glu Trp Xaa Ser Arg Pro Ala Thr 35 40 45 Pro Ala Trp Thr Ile Thr Arg Ala Gly Pro Gln Gly 50 55 60 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 20: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 11 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 20: Arg His Arg Arg Gln Asp Val Ala Gln Gln Ala 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 21: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 61 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 21: His Gln Val Pro Val Pro Arg Leu Leu Arg Glu Glu Lys Gly Thr Pro 1 5 10 15 Thr Thr Leu Arg Gly Cys Val Leu Arg Ala Gly Leu Arg Arg Gly Tyr 20 25 30 Leu Gly Gly Val Phe Leu Glu Pro Leu Leu Arg Phe Ser Ser Gln Met 35 40 45 Phe Ser Cys Ile His Cys Gly Phe Ser Leu Phe Ser Phe 50 55 60 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 22: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 33 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 22: Lys Lys Lys Ala Gly Leu Gly Leu Phe Asn Phe Lys Lys Arg His Gln 1 5 10 15 Val Pro Val Gly Val Arg His Ile Arg Gly Glu Gly Arg Val Arg His 20 25 30 Arg (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 23: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 175 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 23: Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Val 1 5 10 15 Ser Ile Ile Gly Ala Thr Gly Ile Xaa Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Ala Asp 20 25 30 Phe Xaa Xaa Gly Asp Xaa Ser Ser Asp Lys Asn Gly Phe Gln Lys Ala 35 40 45 Arg Tyr Pro Ser Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val Gln Asp Leu Lys Gly Asp 50 55 60 Asp Thr Ala Val Arg Thr Ser His Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr Lys Cys Gln 65 70 75 80 Ser Pro Gly Ser Ser Gly Arg Arg Arg Gly Pro Arg Pro His Ser Gly 85 90 95 Xaa Ala Cys Cys Gly Pro Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly Thr Trp Gly Val Ser 100 105 110 Ser Trp Asn His Cys Ser Val Ser Leu Pro Lys Cys Ser His Ala Phe 115 120 125 Ile Val Asp Phe Leu Tyr Phe Pro Phe Ser Gly Glu Ala Ser Glu Arg 130 135 140 Lys Arg Pro Asp Ser Gly Cys Ser Thr Ser Lys Asp Thr Lys Tyr Gln 145 150 155 160 Ser Val Tyr Val Ile Ser Glu Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Val Ile Ala 165 170 175 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 24: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 2899 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 24: GTCCAGCGGT ACCATGGGCC GTCGGAGCGC GCTACCCCTT GCCGTGGTCT CTGCCCTGCT 60 GTGCCAGGTC TGGAGCTCCG GCGTATTTGA GCTGAAGCTG CAGGAGTTCG TCAACAAGAA 120 GGGGCTGCTG GGGAACCGCA ACTGCTGCCG CGGGGGCTCT GGCCCGCCTT GCGCCTGCAG 180 GACCTTCTTT CGCGTATGCC TCAACCACTA CCAGGCCAGC GTGTCACCGG AGCCACCCTG 240 CACCTACGGC AGTGCTGTCA CGCCAGTGCT GGGTCTCGAC TCCTTCAGCC TGCCTSATKG 300 SGYASGSRYC SMCCYCGAGG YCKWCRGYAW CSMYAAGYYY GATATCGMMY TYCGGCTTCA 360 CCTGGCCRGG YACCTTCTCT CTGATYATTG AAGCYCTCCA YACAGAYTCT CCYGATGACC 420 TCGCAACAGA AAACCCAGAA AGACTCATCA GCCGCCTGRC CACYCAGAGG CACCTSACKG 480 TGGGMGARGA RTGGTCYCAG GACCTKCACA GYAGCGGCCG CACRGACCTC MRGTACTCYT 540 ACCGSTTYGT GTGTGACGAR CACTACTACG GAGARGGYTG CTCTGTKTTC TGCCGWCCYC 600 GGGAYGAYGC CTTYGGCCAC TTCACCTGYG GGGASMGWGG GGAGAARRTG TGCRACCCTG 660 GCTGGAAAGG SCMGTACTGC ACWGASCCRA TCTGYCTGCC WGGRTGTGAT GASCARCATG 720 GATWYTGTGA CAAACCAGGG GARTGCAAGT GCAGAGTKGG CTGGCAGGGC CGSTACTGYG 780 ATGAGTGYAT CCGYTAYCCA GGYTGTCTCC ATGGCACCTG CCAGCARCCC TGGCAGTGYA 840 ACTGCCAGGA AGGNTGGGGG GGCCTTTTCT GCAACCARGA CCTGAACTAC TGYACWCACC 900 ATAAGCCSTG CARGAATGGA GCCACCTGCA ACMAACACGG GCCAGGGGGA GCTACACWTG 960 KTCYTTGGCC GGNCYKGGGT AYANAGGGTG CCAMCTGYGA AGCTTGGGRA KTRGAYGAGT 1020 TGTTGMYCCY AGCCCYTGGY AAGAACGGAG SGAGCTKSAC GGAYCTTCGG AGRACAGCTW 1080 CTCYTGYACC TGCCCWCCCG GCTTCTAYGG CAARRTCTGT GARYTGAGYG CCATGACCTG 1140 TGCRGAYGGC CCTTGCTTYA AYGGRGGWCG RTGYTCAGAY ARCCCYGAYG GAGGSTACAS 1200 CTGCCRYTGC CCCKTGGGCT WCTCYGGCTT CAACTGTGAG AAGAARATKG AYYWCTGCRG 1260 CTCTTCMCCY TGTTCTAAYG GTGCCAAGTG TGTGGACCTC GGYRAYKCYT ACCTGTGCCG 1320 STGCCAGGCY GGCTTCTCSG GGAGGYACTG YGASGACAAY GTGGAYGACT GYGCCTCCTC 1380 CCCGTGYGCM AAYGGGGGCA CCTGCCGGGA YRGYGTGAAC GACTTGTCCT GYACCTGCCC 1440 RCCTGGCTAC ACGGGCARGA ACTGCAGYGC CCCYGYCAGC AGGTGYGAGC AYGCACCCTG 1500 CCAYAATGGG GCCACCTGCC ACSAGAGGGG CCASCGCTAY WTGTGYGAGT GYGCCCRRRG 1560 CTAYGGSGGY CCCAACTGCC ANTTYCTGCT CCCYGAARCY GMCCMCCMGG SCCCAYGGTG 1620 GTGGAAMCTC MSYKARARRM AYMTARRAGR GCCRGGGSGG GCCCWTCCCC TKGGTGGYCG 1680 TGTGYGCCGG GGTSRTSCTT GTCCTCMTGC TGCTGCTGGG CTGTGCYGCT GTGGTGGTCT 1740 GCGTCCGGCT GARGCTRCAG AARCACCRGC CYCCASCYGA MCCCTGNSGG GGRGAGACRG 1800 ARACCATGAA CAACCTRGNC AAYTGCCAGC GYGAGAAGGA CRTYTCWGTY AGCATCATYG 1860 GGGNYACSCA CATCAAGAAC ACCAACAAGA AGGCGGACTT YCACGGGGAC CAYRGNGCCR 1920 ASAAGARYRG CTTYAAGGYC CGMTACCCMR NKGTGGACTA TAACCTCGTK CRRGACCTCA 1980 AGGGWGAYGA MRCCRCSGTC AGGGAYRCRC ACAGCAARCG TGACACCAAG TGNCAGYCMC 2040 AGRGCTCYKG AGGRGARGAG AAGGGGAYCS CCGACCMACA CTYAGGGGGT GGAGGAAGMW 2100 TCYTGAMAGA AAAAGGCCRG ASTYYGGGYY TRYTCWACTT TCAAARGACA ANCMANGTAC 2160 MAGTCGGTGT NYGTYMTKTC YGNAGRAGGA AGGNTGASTG YGTYATAGGM RNYTGAGGTN 2220 GTAARNTGGN AGCGATGTGG CAANNTTCCC ATTTCTCKSA AAKNNNATTC CMMGGATATA 2280 GCYCCGNTGA ATGCTKCTGA GAGAGGAAGG GAGAGGAAAC CCAGGGACTG YTKYTCAGAA 2340 CCAGGTTCAG GCGAAGCTGG TTCTCTCAGA GTTAGCAGAG GCGCCCGACA CTGCCAGCCT 2400 AGGCTTTGGC TGCCGCTGGA CTGCCTGCTG GTTGTTCCCA TTGCACTATG GACAGTTGCT 2460 TTGAAGAGTA TATATTTAAA TGGACGAGTG ACTTGATTCA TATACGAAGC ACGCACTGCC 2520 CACACGTCTA TCTTGGATTA CTATGAGCCA GTCTTTCCTT GAACTAGAAA CACAACTGCC 2580 TTTATTGTCC TTTTTGATAC TGAGATGTGT TTTTTTTTTT CCTAGACGGG AAAAAGAAAA 2640 CGTGTGTTAT TTTTTTGGGA TTTGTAAAAA TATTTTTCAT GATATCTGTA AAGCTTGAGT 2700 ATTTTGTGAC GTTCATTTTT TTATAATTTA AATTTTGGTA AATATGTACA AAGGCACTTC 2760 GGGTCTATGT GACTATATTT TTTTGTATAT AAATGTATTT ATGGAATATT GTGCAAATGT 2820 TATTTGAGTT TTTTACTGTT TTGTTAATGA AGAAATTCAT TTTAAAAATA TTTTTCCAAA 2880 ATAAATATAA TGAACTACA 2899 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 25: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 25: Glu Lys Asp Glu Cys Val Ile Ala 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 26: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 1981 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 26: CATTGGGTAC GGGCCCCCCT CGAGGTCGAC GGTATCGATA AGCTTGATAT CGAATTCCGG 60 CTTCACCTGG CCGGGCACCT TCTCTCTGAT TATTGAAGCT CTCCACACAG ATTCTCCTGA 120 TGACCTCGCA ACAGAAAACC CAGAAAGACT CATCAGCCGC CTGGCCACCC AGAGGCACCT 180 GACGGTGGGC GAGGAGTGGT CCCAGGACCT GCACAGCAGC GGCCGCACGG ACCTCAAGTA 240 CTCCTACCGC TTCGTGTGTG ACGAACACTA CTACGGAGAG GGCTGCTCCG TTTTCTGCCG 300 TCCCCGGGAC GATGCCTTCG GCCACTTCAC CTGTGGGGAG CGTGGGGAGA AAGTGTGCAA 360 CCCTGGCTGG AAAGGGCCCT ACTGCACAGA GCCGATCTGC CTGCCTGGAT GTGATGAGCA 420 GCATGGATTT TGTGACAAAC CAGGGGAATG CAAGTGCAGA GTGGGCTGGC AGGGCCGGTA 480 CTGTGACGAG TGTATCCGCT ATCCAGGCTG TCTCCATGGC ACCTGCCAGC AGCCCTGGCA 540 GTGCAACTGC CAGGAAGGNT GGGGGGGCCT TTTCTGCAAC CAGGACCTGA ACTACTGCAC 600 ACACCATAAG CCCTGCAAGA ATGGAGCCAC CTGCAACAAA CACGGGCCAG GGGGAGCTAC 660 ACTTGGTCTT TGGCCGGNCT GGGGTACANA GGGTGCCACC TGCGAAGCTT GGGGATTGGA 720 CGAGTTGTTG ACCCCAGCCC TTGGTAAGAA CGGAGGGAGC TTGACGGATC TTCGGAGAAC 780 AGCTACTCCT GTACCTGCCC ACCCGGCTTC TACGGCAAAA TCTGTGAATT GAGTGCCATG 840 ACCTGTGCGG ACGGCCCTTG CTTTAACGGG GGTCGGTGCT CAGACAGCCC CGATGGAGGG 900 TACAGCTGCC GCTGCCCCGT GGGCTACTCC GGCTTCAACT GTGAGAAGAA AATTGACTAC 960 TGCAGCTCTT CACCCTGTTC TAATGGTGCC AAGTGTGTGG ACCTCGGTGA TGCCTACCTG 1020 TGCCGCTGCC AGGCCGGCTT CTCGGGGAGG CACTGTGACG ACAACGTGGA CGACTGCGCC 1080 TCCTCCCCGT GCGCCAACGG GGGCACCTGC CGGGATGGCG TGAACGACTT CTCCTGCACC 1140 TGCCCGCCTG GCTACACGGG CAGGAACTGC AGTGCCCCCG CCAGCAGGTG CGAGCACGCA 1200 CCCTGCCACA ATGGGGCCAC CTGCCACGAG AGGGGCCACC GCTATTTGTG CGAGTGTGCC 1260 CGAAGCTACG GGGGTCCCAA CTGCCANTTC CTGCTCCCCG AAACTGCCCC CCCGGCCCCA 1320 CGGTGGTGGA AACTCCCCTA AAAAAACCTA AAAGGGCCGG GGGGGGCCCA TCCCCTTGGT 1380 GGACGTGTGC GCCGGGGTCA TCCTTGTCCT CATGCTGCTG CTGGGCTGTG CCGCTGTGGT 1440 GGTCTGCGTC CGGCTGAGGC TGCAGAAGCA CCGGCCCCCA GCCGACCCCT GNCGGGGGGA 1500 GACGGAGACC ATGAACAACC TGGNCAACTG CCAGCGTGAG AAGGACATCT CAGTCAGCAT 1560 CATCGGGGNC ACGCAGATCA AGAACACCAA CAAGAAGGCG GACTTCCACG GGGACCACAG 1620 NGCCGACAAG AATGGCTTCA AGGCCCGCTA CCCAGNGGTG GACTATAACC TCGTGCAGGA 1680 CCTCAAGGGT GACGACACCG CCGTCAGGGA CGCGCACAGC AAGCGTGACA CCAAGTGNCA 1740 GCCCCAGGGC TCCTCAGGGG AGGAGAAGGG GACCCCCGAC CCACACTCAG GGGGTGGAGG 1800 AAGCATCTTG AAAGAAAAAG GCCGGACTTC GGGCTTGTTC AACTTTCAAA AGACAANCAA 1860 NGTACAAGTC GGTGTNCGTC ATTTCCGNAG GAGGAAGGNT GACTGCGTCA TAGGAANTTG 1920 AGGTNGTAAA NTGGNAGTTG ANNTTGGAAA GNNNTCCCCG GATTCCGNTT TCAAAGTTTT 1980 T 1981 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 27: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 31 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 27: His Trp Val Arg Ala Pro Leu Glu Val Asp Gly Ile Asp Lys Leu Asp 1 5 10 15 Ile Glu Phe Arg Leu His Leu Ala Gly His Leu Leu Ser Asp Tyr 20 25 30 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 28: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 7 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 28: Ser Ser Pro His Arg Phe Ser 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 29: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 45 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 29: Pro Arg Asn Arg Lys Pro Arg Lys Thr His Gln Pro Pro Gly His Pro 1 5 10 15 Glu Ala Pro Asp Gly Gly Arg Gly Val Val Pro Gly Pro Ala Gln Gln 20 25 30 Arg Pro His Gly Pro Gln Val Leu Leu Pro Leu Arg Val 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 30: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 49 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 30: Arg Thr Leu Leu Arg Arg Gly Leu Leu Arg Phe Pro Ser Pro Gly Arg 1 5 10 15 Cys Leu Arg Pro Leu His Leu Trp Gly Ala Trp Gly Glu Ser Val Gln 20 25 30 Pro Trp Leu Glu Arg Ala Leu Leu His Arg Ala Asp Leu Pro Ala Trp 35 40 45 Met (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 31: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 5 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 31: Ala Ala Trp Ile Leu 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 32: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 16 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 32: Gln Thr Arg Gly Met Gln Val Gln Ser Gly Leu Ala Gly Pro Val Leu 1 5 10 15 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 33: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 40 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 33: Arg Val Tyr Pro Leu Ser Arg Leu Ser Pro Trp His Leu Pro Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Leu Ala Val Gln Leu Pro Gly Arg Xaa Gly Gly Pro Phe Leu Gln Pro 20 25 30 Gly Pro Glu Leu Leu His Thr Pro 35 40 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 34: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 45 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 34: Ala Leu Gln Glu Trp Ser His Leu Gln Gln Thr Arg Ala Arg Gly Ser 1 5 10 15 Tyr Thr Trp Ser Leu Ala Gly Leu Gly Tyr Xaa Gly Cys His Leu Arg 20 25 30 Ser Leu Gly Ile Gly Arg Val Val Asp Pro Ser Pro Trp 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 35: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 196 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 35: Glu Arg Arg Glu Leu Asp Gly Ser Ser Glu Asn Ser Tyr Ser Cys Thr 1 5 10 15 Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Ile Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala Met Thr 20 25 30 Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly Gly Arg Cys Ser Asp Pro Asp 35 40 45 Gly Gly Tyr Ser Cys Arg Cys Pro Val Gly Tyr Ser Gly Phe Asn Cys 50 55 60 Glu Lys Lys Ile Asp Tyr Cys Ser Ser Ser Pro Cys Ser Asn Gly Ala 65 70 75 80 Lys Cys Val Asp Leu Gly Asp Ala Tyr Leu Cys Arg Gly Gln Ala Gly 85 90 95 Phe Ser Gly Arg His Cys Asp Asp Asn Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser Ser 100 105 110 Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Arg Asp Gly Val Asn Asp Phe Ser 115 120 125 Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Thr Gly Arg Asn Cys Ser Ala Pro Ala 130 135 140 Ser Arg Cys Glu His Ala Pro Cys His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His Glu 145 150 155 160 Arg Gly His Arg Tyr Xaa Cys Glu Cys Ala Arg Ser Tyr Gly Gly Pro 165 170 175 Asn Cys Xaa Phe Leu Leu Pro Glu Thr Ala Pro Pro Ala Pro Arg Trp 180 185 190 Trp Lys Leu Pro 195 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 36: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 65 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 36: Lys Asn Leu Lys Gly Pro Gly Gly Ala His Pro Leu Gly Gly Arg Val 1 5 10 15 Arg Arg Gly His Pro Cys Pro His Ala Ala Ala Gly Leu Cys Arg Cys 20 25 30 Gly Gly Leu Arg Pro Ala Glu Ala Ala Glu Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Arg 35 40 45 Pro Leu Xaa Gly Gly Asp Gly Asp His Glu Gln Pro Gly Gln Leu Pro 50 55 60 Ala 65 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 37: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 42 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 37: Glu Gly His Leu Ser Gln His His Arg Gly His Ala Asp Gln Glu His 1 5 10 15 Gln Gln Glu Gly Gly Leu Pro Arg Gly Pro Gln Xaa Arg Gln Glu Trp 20 25 30 Leu Gln Gly Pro Leu Pro Xaa Gly Gly Leu 35 40 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 38: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 7 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 38: Pro Arg Ala Gly Pro Gln Gly 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 39: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 11 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 39: Arg His Arg Arg Gln Gly Arg Ala Gln Gln Ala 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 40: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 57 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 40: His Gln Val Xaa Ala Pro Gly Leu Leu Arg Gly Gly Glu Gly Asp Pro 1 5 10 15 Arg Pro Thr Leu Arg Gly Trp Arg Lys His Leu Glu Arg Lys Arg Pro 20 25 30 Asp Phe Gly Leu Val Gln Leu Ser Lys Asp Xaa Gln Xaa Thr Ser Arg 35 40 45 Cys Xaa Ser Phe Pro Xaa Glu Glu Gly 50 55 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 41: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 41: Leu Arg His Arg Xaa Leu Arg Xaa 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 42: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 13 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 42: Xaa Trp Lys Xaa Xaa Pro Gly Phe Arg Phe Gln Ser Phe 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 43: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 276 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 43: Ile Gly Tyr Gly Pro Pro Ser Arg Ser Thr Val Ser Ile Ser Leu Ile 1 5 10 15 Ser Asn Ser Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu 20 25 30 Ala Leu His Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Ala Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu 35 40 45 Arg Leu Ile Ser Arg Leu Ala Thr Gln Arg His Leu Thr Val Gly Glu 50 55 60 Glu Trp Ser Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg Thr Asp Leu Lys Tyr 65 70 75 80 Ser Tyr Arg Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser 85 90 95 Val Phe Cys Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Ala Phe Gly His Phe Thr Cys Gly 100 105 110 Glu Arg Gly Glu Lys Val Cys Asn Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Pro Tyr Cys 115 120 125 Thr Glu Pro Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Glu Gln His Gly Phe Cys 130 135 140 Asp Lys Pro Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr 145 150 155 160 Cys Asp Glu Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Leu His Gly Thr Cys Gln 165 170 175 Gln Pro Trp Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys 180 185 190 Asn Gln Asp Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly 195 200 205 Ala Thr Cys Asn Lys His Gly Pro Gly Gly Ala Thr Leu Gly Leu Trp 210 215 220 Pro Xaa Trp Gly Thr Xaa Gly Ala Thr Cys Glu Ala Trp Gly Leu Asp 225 230 235 240 Glu Leu Leu Thr Pro Ala Leu Gly Lys Asn Gly Gly Ser Leu Thr Asp 245 250 255 Leu Arg Arg Thr Ala Thr Pro Val Pro Ala His Pro Ala Ser Thr Ala 260 265 270 Lys Ser Val Asn 275 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 44: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 93 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 44: Pro Val Arg Thr Ala Leu Ala Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Ala Gln Thr Ala 1 5 10 15 Pro Met Glu Gly Thr Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro Trp Ala Thr Pro Ala Ser 20 25 30 Thr Val Arg Arg Lys Leu Thr Thr Ala Ala Leu His Pro Val Leu Met 35 40 45 Val Pro Ser Val Trp Thr Ser Val Met Pro Thr Cys Ala Ala Ala Arg 50 55 60 Pro Ala Ser Arg Gly Gly Thr Val Thr Thr Thr Trp Thr Thr Ala Pro 65 70 75 80 Pro Pro Arg Ala Pro Thr Gly Ala Pro Ala Gly Met Ala 85 90 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 45: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 74 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 45: Thr Thr Ser Pro Ala Pro Ala Arg Leu Ala Thr Arg Ala Gly Thr Ala 1 5 10 15 Val Pro Pro Pro Ala Gly Ala Ser Thr His Pro Ala Thr Met Gly Pro 20 25 30 Pro Ala Thr Arg Gly Ala Thr Ala Ile Cys Ala Ser Val Pro Glu Ala 35 40 45 Thr Gly Val Pro Thr Ala Xaa Ser Cys Pro Lys Leu Pro Pro Arg Pro 50 55 60 His Gly Gly Gly Asn Ser Pro Lys Lys Thr 65 70 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 46: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 187 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 46: Lys Gly Arg Gly Gly Pro Ile Pro Leu Val Asp Val Cys Ala Gly Val 1 5 10 15 Ile Leu Val Leu Met Leu Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Val Cys 20 25 30 Val Arg Leu Arg Leu Gln Lys His Arg Pro Pro Ala Asp Pro Xaa Arg 35 40 45 Gly Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Xaa Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys 50 55 60 Asp Ile Ser Val Ser Ile Ile Gly Xaa Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn 65 70 75 80 Lys Lys Ala Asp Phe His Gly Asp His Ala Asp Lys Asn Gly Phe Lys 85 90 95 Ala Arg Tyr Pro Xaa Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val Gln Asp Leu Lys Gly 100 105 110 Asp Asp Thr Ala Val Arg Asp Ala His Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr Lys Xaa 115 120 125 Gln Pro Gln Gly Ser Ser Gly Glu Glu Gly Thr Pro Asp Pro His Ser 130 135 140 Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Ile Leu Lys Glu Lys Gly Arg Thr Ser Gly Leu 145 150 155 160 Phe Asn Phe Gln Lys Thr Xaa Xaa Val Gln Val Gly Val Arg His Phe 165 170 175 Arg Arg Arg Lys Xaa Asp Cys Val Ile Gly Xaa 180 185 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 47: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 20 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 47: Gly Xaa Lys Xaa Xaa Val Xaa Xaa Gly Lys Xaa Ser Pro Asp Ser Xaa 1 5 10 15 Phe Lys Val Phe 20 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 48: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 12 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 48: Leu Gly Thr Gly Pro Pro Arg Gly Arg Arg Tyr Arg 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 49: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 13 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 49: Tyr Arg Ile Pro Ala Ser Pro Gly Arg Ala Pro Ser Leu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 50: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 30 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 50: Leu Leu Lys Leu Ser Thr Gln Ile Leu Leu Met Thr Ser Gln Gln Lys 1 5 10 15 Thr Gln Lys Asp Ser Ser Ala Ala Trp Pro Pro Arg Gly Thr 20 25 30 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 51: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 135 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 51: Arg Trp Ala Arg Ser Gly Pro Arg Thr Cys Thr Ala Ala Ala Ala Arg 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Ser Thr Pro Thr Ala Ser Cys Val Thr Asn Thr Thr Thr Glu 20 25 30 Arg Ala Ala Pro Phe Ser Ala Val Pro Gly Thr Met Pro Ser Ala Thr 35 40 45 Ser Pro Val Cys Ser Val Gly Arg Lys Cys Ala Thr Leu Ala Gly Lys 50 55 60 Gly Pro Thr Ala Gln Ser Arg Ser Ala Cys Leu Asp Val Met Ser Ser 65 70 75 80 Met Asp Phe Phe Val Thr Asn Gln Asn Ala Ser Ala Glu Trp Ala Gly 85 90 95 Arg Ala Gly Thr Val Thr Ser Val Ser Ala Ile Gln Ala Val Ser Met 100 105 110 Ala Pro Ala Ser Ser Pro Gly Ser Ala Thr Ala Arg Lys Xaa Gly Gly 115 120 125 Ala Phe Ser Ala Thr Arg Thr 130 135 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 52: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 46 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 52: Thr Thr Ala His Thr Ile Ser Pro Ala Arg Met Glu Pro Pro Ala Thr 1 5 10 15 Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly Glu Leu His Leu Val Phe Gly Arg Xaa Gly Val 20 25 30 Xaa Arg Val Pro Pro Ala Lys Leu Gly Asp Trp Thr Ser Cys 35 40 45 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 53: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 10 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 53: Pro Gln Pro Leu Val Arg Thr Glu Gln Glu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 54: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 20 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 54: Arg Ile Phe Gly Glu Gln Leu Leu Leu Tyr Leu Pro Thr Arg Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Arg Gln Asn Leu 20 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 55: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 12 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 55: Ile Glu Cys His Asp Leu Cys Gly Arg Pro Leu Leu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 56: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 25 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 56: Arg Gly Ser Val Leu Arg Gln Pro Arg Trp Arg Val Gln Leu Pro Leu 1 5 10 15 Pro Arg Gly Leu Leu Arg Leu Gln Leu 20 25 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 57: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 57: Leu Leu Gln Leu Phe Thr Leu Phe 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 58: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 58: Trp Cys Gln Val Cys Gly Pro Arg 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 59: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 15 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 59: Cys Leu Pro Val Pro Leu Pro Gly Arg Leu Leu Gly Glu Ala Leu 1 5 10 15 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 60: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 131 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 60: Arg Gln Arg Gly Arg Leu Arg Leu Leu Pro Val Arg Gln Gly His Leu 1 5 10 15 Pro Gly Trp Arg Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu His Leu Pro Ala Trp Leu His 20 25 30 Gly Gln Glu Leu Gln Cys Pro Arg Gln Gln Val Arg Ala Arg Thr Leu 35 40 45 Pro Gln Trp Gly His Leu Pro Arg Glu Gly Pro Pro Leu Phe Val Arg 50 55 60 Val Cys Pro Lys Leu Arg Gly Ser Gln Leu Pro Xaa Pro Ala Pro Arg 65 70 75 80 Asn Cys Pro Pro Gly Pro Thr Val Val Glu Thr Pro Leu Lys Lys Pro 85 90 95 Lys Arg Ala Gly Gly Gly Pro Ser Pro Trp Trp Thr Cys Ala Pro Gly 100 105 110 Ser Ser Leu Ser Ser Cys Cys Cys Trp Ala Val Pro Leu Trp Trp Ser 115 120 125 Ala Ser Gly 130 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 61: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 18 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 61: Gly Cys Arg Ser Thr Gly Pro Gln Pro Thr Pro Xaa Gly Gly Arg Arg 1 5 10 15 Arg Pro (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 62: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 98 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 62: Thr Thr Trp Xaa Thr Ala Ser Val Arg Arg Thr Ser Gln Ser Ala Ser 1 5 10 15 Ser Gly Xaa Arg Arg Ser Arg Thr Pro Thr Arg Arg Arg Thr Ser Thr 20 25 30 Gly Thr Thr Xaa Pro Thr Arg Met Ala Ser Arg Pro Ala Thr Gln Xaa 35 40 45 Trp Thr Ile Thr Ser Cys Arg Thr Ser Arg Val Thr Thr Pro Pro Ser 50 55 60 Gly Thr Arg Thr Ala Ser Val Thr Pro Ser Xaa Ser Pro Arg Ala Pro 65 70 75 80 Gln Gly Arg Arg Arg Cys Pro Pro Thr His Thr Gln Gly Val Glu Glu 85 90 95 Ala Ser (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 63: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 33 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 63: Lys Lys Lys Ala Gly Leu Arg Ala Cys Ser Thr Phe Lys Arg Gln Xaa 1 5 10 15 Xaa Tyr Lys Ser Val Xaa Val Ile Ser Xaa Gly Gly Arg Xaa Thr Ala 20 25 30 Ser (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 64: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 22 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 64: Glu Xaa Glu Val Val Xaa Trp Xaa Leu Xaa Leu Glu Xaa Xaa Pro Arg 1 5 10 15 Ile Pro Xaa Ser Lys Phe 20 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 65: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 192 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 65: Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe Ser Leu Ile Ile Glu Ala Leu His 1 5 10 15 Thr Asp Ser Pro Asp Asp Leu Ala Thr Glu Asn Pro Glu Arg Leu Ile 20 25 30 Ser Arg Leu Ala Thr Gln Arg His Leu Thr Val Gly Glu Glu Trp Ser 35 40 45 Gln Asp Leu His Ser Ser Gly Arg Thr Asp Leu Lys Tyr Ser Tyr Arg 50 55 60 Phe Val Cys Asp Glu His Tyr Tyr Gly Glu Gly Cys Ser Val Phe Cys 65 70 75 80 Arg Pro Arg Asp Asp Ala Phe Gly His Phe Thr Cys Gly Glu Arg Gly 85 90 95 Glu Lys Val Cys Asn Pro Gly Trp Lys Gly Pro Tyr Cys Thr Glu Pro 100 105 110 Ile Cys Leu Pro Gly Cys Asp Glu Gln His Gly Phe Cys Asp Lys Pro 115 120 125 Gly Glu Cys Lys Cys Arg Val Gly Trp Gln Gly Arg Tyr Cys Asp Glu 130 135 140 Cys Ile Arg Tyr Pro Gly Cys Leu His Gly Thr Cys Gln Gln Pro Trp 145 150 155 160 Gln Cys Asn Cys Gln Glu Gly Trp Gly Gly Leu Phe Cys Asn Gln Asp 165 170 175 Leu Asn Tyr Cys Thr His His Lys Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys 180 185 190 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 66: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 6 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 66: Thr Asn Thr Gly Gln Gly 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 67: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 9 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 67: Lys Asn Gly Gly Ser Leu Thr Asp Leu 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 68: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 157 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 68: Glu Asn Ser Tyr Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Phe Tyr Gly Lys Ile 1 5 10 15 Cys Glu Leu Ser Ala Met Thr Cys Ala Asp Gly Pro Cys Phe Asn Gly 20 25 30 Gly Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Pro Asp Gly Gly Tyr Ser Cys Arg Cys Pro 35 40 45 Val Gly Tyr Ser Gly Phe Asn Cys Glu Lys Lys Ile Asp Tyr Cys Ser 50 55 60 Ser Ser Pro Cys Ser Asn Gly Ala Lys Cys Val Asp Leu Gly Asp Ala 65 70 75 80 Tyr Leu Cys Arg Cys Gln Ala Gly Phe Ser Gly Arg His Cys Asp Asp 85 90 95 Asn Val Asp Asp Cys Ala Ser Ser Pro Cys Ala Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys 100 105 110 Arg Asp Gly Val Asn Asp Phe Ser Cys Thr Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Thr 115 120 125 Gly Arg Asn Cys Ser Ala Pro Ala Ser Arg Cys Glu His Ala Pro Cys 130 135 140 His Asn Gly Ala Thr Cys His Glu Arg Gly His Arg Tyr 145 150 155 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 69: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 12 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 69: Cys Glu Cys Ala Arg Ser Tyr Gly Gly Pro Asn Cys 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 70: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 5 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 70: Phe Leu Leu Pro Glu 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 71: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 4 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 71: Pro Pro Gly Pro 1 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 72: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 25 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 72: Leu Leu Leu Gly Cys Ala Ala Val Val Val Cys Val Arg Leu Arg Leu 1 5 10 15 Gln Lys His Arg Pro Pro Ala Asp Pro 20 25 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 73: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 10 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 73: Arg Gly Glu Thr Glu Thr Met Asn Asn Leu 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 74: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 14 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 74: Asn Cys Gln Arg Glu Lys Asp Ile Ser Val Ser Ile Ile Gly 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 75: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 16 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 75: Thr Gln Ile Lys Asn Thr Asn Lys Lys Ala Asp Phe His Gly Asp His 1 5 10 15 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 76: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 11 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 76: Ala Asp Lys Asn Gly Phe Lys Ala Arg Tyr Pro 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 77: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 26 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 77: Val Asp Tyr Asn Leu Val Gln Asp Leu Lys Gly Asp Asp Thr Ala Val 1 5 10 15 Arg Asp Ala His Ser Lys Arg Asp Thr Lys 20 25 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 78: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 13 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 78: Gln Pro Gln Gly Ser Ser Gly Glu Glu Lys Gly Thr Pro 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 79: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 4 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 79: Pro Thr Leu Arg 1 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 80: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 4 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 80: Arg Lys Arg Pro 1 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 81: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 6 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 12 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 18 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 21 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 81: TTCGGNTTYA CNTGGCCNGG NAC 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 82: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 20 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 3 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 9 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 12 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 15 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 82: TCNATGCANG TNCCNCCRTT 20 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 83: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 83: Phe Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 84: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 7 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 84: Asn Gly Gly Thr Cys Ile Asp 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 85: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 12 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 85: Ser Ile Pro Pro Gly Ser Arg Thr Ser Leu Gly Val 1 5 10 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 86: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 3 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 9 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 15 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 18 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 21 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 86: GGNTTCACNT GGCCNGGNAC NTT 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 87: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 3 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 6 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 18 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 87: GTNCCNCCRT TYTTRCANGG RTT 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 88: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 88: Asn Pro Cys Lys Asn Gly Gly Thr 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 89: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 3 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 15 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 18 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 89: ACNATGAAYA AYCTNGCNAA YTG 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 90: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 90: Thr Met Asn Asn Leu Ala Asn Cys 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 91: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 6 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 9 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 21 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 91: ACRTANACNG AYTGRTAYTT NGT 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 92: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 92: Thr Lys Tyr Gln Ser Val Tyr Val 1 5 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 93: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 23 base pairs (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: Modified Base (B) LOCATION: 6 (D) OTHER INFORMATION: N=Inosine (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 93: GCDATNACRC AYTCRTCYTT YTC 23 (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 94: (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (A) LENGTH: 8 amino acids (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: (D) TOPOLOGY: unknown (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO: 94: Gly Phe Thr Trp Pro Gly Thr Phe 1 5 

What is claimed is:
 1. A purified vertebrate Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 2. The protein of claim 1 which comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 3. The protein of claim 1 which comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23).
 4. The protein of claim 1 which comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12).
 5. A purified derivative of a Delta protein, which protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which derivative is able to display a functional activity of said Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 6. The derivative of claim 5, in which said protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 7. The derivative of claim 5 which is able to be bound by an antibody directed against a human Delta protein.
 8. A purified fragment of a human Delta protein, which protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment is able to be bound by an antibody directed against said human Delta protein, and which fragment comprises at least 10 continuous amino acids of said protein.
 9. The fragment of claim 8 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) 5 mM EDTA. 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate: washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS: and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 10. The fragment of claim 8 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 10A-10B or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO: 14), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 11. A purified protein comprising the fragment of claim
 8. 12. A purified molecule comprising a fragment of a human Delta protein, which protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment comprises at least 10 continuous amino acids of said protein, and which fragment is able to be bound by an antibody to said human Delta protein.
 13. A purified fragment of a human Delta protein, which protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment is able to display a functional activity of said human Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 14. The fragment of claim 13 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μl/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP. 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC. 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 15. The fragment of claim 13 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of high stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of high stringency consisting of pretreatment for 8 to 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 48 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; washing for 1 hour at 37° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% SDS and a second washing for 45 minutes at 50° C. in a solution containing 0.1×SSC.
 16. A purified fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, which fragment comprises a domain of the protein selected from the group consisting of the extracellular domain, DSL domain, domain amino-terminal to the DSL domain, epidermal growth factor-like repeat domain, transmembrane domain, and intracellular domain, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 17. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the fragment of claim 16; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 18. A purified protein comprising the fragment of claim
 16. 19. A purified fragment of a Delta protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2). FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment (a) comprises the membrane-associated region of the protein.
 20. A purified fragment of a Delta protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment comprises an epidermal growth factor-homologous repeat of the protein.
 21. The fragment of claim 16 in which the Delta protein is a human Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 22. The fragment of claim 21 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 23. The fragment of claim 21 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of high stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of high stringency consisting of pretreatment for 8 to 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 48 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; washing for 1 hour at 37° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% SDS and a second washing for 45 minutes at 50° C. in a solution containing 0.1×SSC.
 24. A chimeric protein comprising a fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), wherein the fragment (a) consists of at least 20 continuous amino acids of said Delta protein, (b) is joined via a peptide bond to an amino acid sequence of a second protein, in which the second protein is not the Delta protein, and (c) is able to display a functional activity of a Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 25. The chimeric protein of claim 24 in which the fragment is able to be bound by an antibody to said Delta protein.
 26. The chimeric protein of claim 25 in which the Delta protein is a human Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 27. A purified fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment (a) is able to be bound by an antibody to said protein; and (b) lacks the transmembrane and intracellular domains of said protein.
 28. The fragment of claim 27 in which the Delta protein is a human Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 29. The fragment of claim 28 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 30. The fragment of claim 28 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid hybridizable under conditions of high stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of high stringency consisting of pretreatment for 8 to 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 48 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; washing for 1 hour at 37° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% SDS and a second washing for 45 minutes at 50° C. in a solution containing 0.1×SSC.
 31. A purified fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment (a) is able to be bound by an antibody to said protein; and (b) lacks the extracellular domain of said protein.
 32. A purified fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12). FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment is able to bind a Notch protein.
 33. The fragment of claim 32, which lacks the epidermal growth factor-like repeats of the Delta protein.
 34. The fragment of claim 32 in which the Delta protein is a human Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 35. The fragment of claim 34 which is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC. 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 36. The fragment of claim 13 or 24, which is a fragment of SEQ ID NO:65.
 37. The fragment of claim 32, which is a fragment of SEQ ID NO:23.
 38. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the fragment of claim 32; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 39. A purified molecule comprising a fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment is able to bind a Notch protein.
 40. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a vertebrate Delta protein, which protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80); and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 41. The composition of claim 40 in which the Delta protein is a human Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 42. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a derivative of a Delta protein, which derivative is characterized by the ability to bind to a Notch protein or to a molecule comprising the epidermal growth factor-like repeats 11 and 12 of a Notch protein; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; which Delta protein comprises the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80).
 43. A purified human protein which (a) is able to be bound by an antibody to a vertebrate Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), and (b) is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIG. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP. 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (1H 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS: and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 44. A purified protein comprising at least a portion of a human Delta amino acid sequence, said portion selected from the group consisting of amino acid numbers 1-192 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:65), amino acid numbers 205-213 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:67), amino acid numbers 214-370 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:68), amino acid numbers 371-382 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:69), amino acid numbers 394-418 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:72), amino acid numbers 419-428 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:73), amino acid numbers 443-458 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:75), amino acid numbers 459-469 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:76), amino acid numbers 470-495 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:77), amino acid numbers 496-508 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:78), and amino acid numbers 516-519 depicted in FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NO:80), which portion is able to display a functional activity of a human Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 45. A purified protein which is encoded by a first nucleic acid hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of nucleotide numbers 60-634 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 746-772 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 775-1245 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1249-1284 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1415-1489 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1493-1522 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1526-1567 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1570-1618 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1622-1653 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), nucleotide numbers 1658-1735 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), and nucleotide numbers 1739-1777 depicted in FIGS. 12B1-12B6 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS, and which protein is able to display a functional activity of a Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 46. A purified human protein which comprises a portion of the human Delta amino acid sequence set forth in FIGS. 14A-14B, said portion selected from the group consisting of amino acid numbers 1-192 (SEQ ID NO:65), amino acid numbers 214-370 (SEQ ID NO:68), amino acid numbers 371-382 (SEQ ID NO:69), amino acid numbers 394-418 (SEQ ID NO:72), amino acid numbers 419-428 (SEQ ID NO:73), amino acid numbers 443-458 (SEQ ID NO:75), amino acid numbers 459-469 (SEQ ID NO:76), amino acid numbers 470-495 (SEQ ID NO:77), and amino acid numbers 496-508 (SEQ ID NO:78), which portion is able to display a functional activity of a human Delta protein which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 47. A purified human protein which (a) is able to display a functional activity of a human Delta protein which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein and binding to a second Delta protein, and (b) is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO: 14) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO: 14), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 48. A purified protein, which protein (a) is able to be bound by an antibody to a vertebrate Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12). FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), and (b) is encoded by a first nucleic acid hybridizable under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the consensus nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 13A-13G (SEQ ID NO:24) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 13A-13G (SEQ ID NO:24), said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide. 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μz/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS: and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 49. A purified vertebrate Delta protein produced by a process comprising growing a recombinant cell containing a nucleic acid, said nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 1A1-1A3 (SEQ ID NO:1), 1B1-1B2 (SEQ ID NO:3), 7A-7B (SEQ ID NO:1 1), 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO:14), 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), or 13A-13G (SEQ ID NO:24), such that a protein encoded by said nucleotide sequence is expressed by the cell, and purifying the expressed protein which expressed protein is able to display a functional activity of a vertebrate Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 50. A purified human Delta protein produced by a process comprising growing a recombinant cell containing a nucleic acid which encodes a protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23), such that the encoded protein is expressed by the cell, and purifying the expressed protein, which expressed protein is able to display a functional activity of a human Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein.
 51. A purified fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein produced by a process comprising growing a recombinant cell containing a nucleic acid that encodes a fragment of a vertebrate Delta protein, said protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which fragment comprises a domain of said protein selected from the group consisting of the extracellular domain, DSL domain, domain amino-terminal to the DSL domain, epidermal growth factor-like repeat domain, transmembrane domain, and intracellular domain, and which fragment is able to be bound by an antibody to said protein, such that the encoded fragment is expressed by the cell, and purifying the expressed fragment of said protein.
 52. A purified human protein which (a) is able to be bound by an antibody to a vertebrate Delta protein comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), and (b) is encoded by a first nucleic acid that is hybridizable under conditions of high stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said sequence depicted in FIGS. 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), said conditions of high stringency consisting of pretreatment for 8 to 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 48 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; washing for 1 hour at 37° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% SDS and a second washing for 45 minutes at 50° C. in a solution containing 0.1×SSC.
 53. A purified protein comprising 10 continuous amino acids of the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which protein is able to be bound by an antibody to a vertebrate Delta protein.
 54. The protein of claim 53 comprising 20 continuous amino acids of said amino acid sequence.
 55. The protein of claim 53 comprising 50 continuous amino acids of said amino acid sequence.
 56. A purified protein which is able to display a functional activity of a Delta protein which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein and binding to a second Delta protein, and which is encoded by a first nucleic acid under conditions of low stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 1A1-1A3 (SEQ ID NO:1), 1B1-1B2 (SEQ ID NO:3), 7A-7B (SEQ ID NO:11), 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO:14), 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), or 13A-13G (SEQ ID NO:24) or consisting of an at least 50 nucleotide portion of said nucleotide sequence, said conditions of low stringency consisting of pretreatment for 6 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% PVP, 0.1% Ficoll, 1% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 18-20 hours at 40° C. in a solution containing 35% formamide, 5×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, 100 μdenatured salmon sperm DNA, and 10% (wt./vol.) dextran sulfate; washing for 1.5 hours at 55° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS; and a second washing for 1.5 hours at 60° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 25 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4), 5 mM EDTA and 0.1% SDS.
 57. A purified protein which is able to display a functional activity of a Delta protein, which activity is selected from the group consisting of antigenicity, immunogenicity, binding to a Notch protein, and binding to a second Delta protein, and which is encoded by a first nucleic acid under conditions of high stringency to a second nucleic acid consisting of the nucleotide sequence depicted in FIGS. 1A1-1A3 (SEQ ID NO: 1), 1B1-1B2 (SEQ ID NO:3), 7A-7B (SEQ ID NO:11), 10A-10B (SEQ ID NO: 14), 12A1-12A3 (SEQ ID NO:26), or 13A-13G (SEQ ID NO:24), said conditions of high stringency consisting of pretreatment for 8 to 12 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.02% BSA, and 500 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; hybridization for 48 hours at 65° C. in a solution containing 6×SSC, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 1 mM EDTA, 0.02% PVP, 0.02% Ficoll, 0.2% BSA, and 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA; washing for 1 hour at 37° C. in a solution containing 2×SSC, 0.01% PVP, 0.01% Ficoll, and 0.01% SDS and a second washing for 45 minutes at 50° C. in a solution containing 0.1×SSC.
 58. A purified derivative of a protein, said protein consisting of the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO:12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), which derivative (a) consists of at least 10 continuous amino acids of the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80), (b) is able to be bound by an antibody to said protein, and (c) has one or more insertions, deletions, or substitutions relative to said protein.
 59. A purified molecule comprising the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 8 (SEQ ID NO: 12), FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO:23) or FIGS. 14A-14B (SEQ ID NOS:65-80). 